[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1644 Referred in House (RFH)]

  2d Session
                                S. 1644


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 23, 2002

  Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the 
  Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To further the protection and recognition of veterans' memorials, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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' Memorial Preservation and 
Recognition Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR DESTRUCTION OF VETERANS' MEMORIALS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 65 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1369. Destruction of veterans' memorials
    ``(a) Whoever, in a circumstance described in subsection (b), 
willfully injures or destroys, or attempts to injure or destroy, any 
structure, plaque, statue, or other monument on public property 
commemorating the service of any person or persons in the armed forces 
of the United States shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not 
more than 10 years, or both.
    ``(b) A circumstance described in this subsection is that--
            ``(1) in committing the offense described in subsection 
        (a), the defendant travels or causes another to travel in 
        interstate or foreign commerce, or uses the mail or an 
        instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce; or
            ``(2) the structure, plaque, statue, or other monument 
        described in subsection (a) is located on property owned by, or 
        under the jurisdiction of, the Federal Government.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 65 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``1369. Destruction of veterans' memorials.''.

SEC. 3. HIGHWAY SIGNS RELATING TO VETERANS CEMETERIES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the terms of any agreement entered 
into by the Secretary of Transportation and a State under section 
109(d) or 402(a) of title 23, United States Code, a veterans cemetery 
shall be treated as a site for which a supplemental guide sign may be 
placed on any Federal-aid highway.
    (b) Applicability.--Subsection (a) shall apply to an agreement 
entered into before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

            Passed the Senate May 22, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                  JERI THOMSON,

                                                             Secretary.