[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1532 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 1532


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 1997

  Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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                                 AN ACT


 
To direct the United States Sentencing Commission to provide sentencing 
   enhancement for offenses against property at national cemeteries.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Cemetery Protection Act of 
1997''.

SEC. 2. SENTENCING FOR VANDALISM AT NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

    (a) General Rule.--Pursuant to its authority under section 994 of 
title 28, United States Code, the United States Sentencing Commission 
shall review and amend the sentencing guidelines to provide a 
sentencing enhancement for any offense against any property of a 
national cemetery--
            (1) by at least 4 levels if the offense involves the 
        willful injury to or depredation against such property, and
            (2) by at least 6 levels if the offense involves the 
        knowing theft, conversion, or unlawful sale or disposition of 
        such property.
    (b) Commission Duty.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Sentencing Commission shall ensure that the sentences, guidelines, and 
policy statements for offenders convicted of offenses described in 
subsection (a) are appropriately severe and reasonably consistent with 
other relevant directives and with other guidelines.
    (c) Definition.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
``national cemetery'' means a cemetery in the National Cemetery System 
established under section 2400 of title 38 and a cemetery under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, 
the Secretary of the Air Force, or the Secretary of the Interior.

            Passed the House of Representatives June 23, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.

                              By Julie Perrier,

                                                Assistant to the Clerk.