[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2526 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2526

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify provisions governing 
 certain programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                 May 16 (legislative day, May 9), 2002

 Mr. Rockefeller (by request) introduced the following bill; which was 
      read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify provisions governing 
 certain programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
                        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; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Programs 
Amendments Act of 2002''.
    (b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever 
in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 2. BURIAL PLOT ALLOWANCE

    (a) In General.--Section 2303(b) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``a 
        burial allowance under such section 2302, or under such 
        subsection, who was discharged from the active military, naval, 
        or air service for a disability incurred or aggravated in line 
        of duty, or who is a veteran of any war'' and inserting 
        ``burial in a national cemetery under section 2402 of this 
        title''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``(other than a veteran 
        whose eligibility for benefits under this subsection is based 
        on being a veteran of any war)'' and inserting ``is eligible 
        for a burial allowance under section 2302 of this title or 
        under subsection (a) of this section, or was discharged from 
        the active military, naval, or air service for a disability 
        incurred or aggravated in line of duty, and such veteran''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by section 2(a) shall apply 
with respect to the burial of persons dying on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. LEASE OF LAND AND BUILDINGS; RETENTION OF PROCEEDS.

  (a) In General.--Chapter 24 is amended by adding at the end thereof 
the following section:
``Sec. 2412. Lease of land and buildings; retention of proceeds
  ``(a) The Secretary may lease for a term not exceeding 3 years 
undeveloped land and unused or underutilized buildings, or parts or 
parcels thereof, belonging to the United States and part of the 
National Cemetery System established by section 2400 of this title. Any 
lease made to any public or nonprofit organization may be made without 
regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 
U.S.C. 5). Notwithstanding section 321 of the Act of June 30, 1932 (40 
U.S.C. 303b), or any other provision of law, a lease made pursuant to 
this subsection to any public or nonprofit organization may provide for 
the maintenance, protection or restoration by the lessee as a part or 
all of the consideration for the lease. Prior to execution of any such 
lease, the Secretary shall give appropriate public notice of the 
Secretary's intention to do so in the newspaper of the community in 
which the lands or buildings are located.
  ``(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceeds from the 
lease of National Cemetery land or buildings and from agricultural 
licenses shall be deposited to the National Cemetery Administration 
account to assist cemetery operations and maintenance of cemetery 
property.''.
  (b) Clerical Amendments.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 24 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new 
item:

``2412. Lease of land and buildings; retention of proceeds.''.

SEC. 4. TIME LIMITATION OF RECEIPT OF CLAIM INFORMATION PURSUANT TO 
              REQUEST BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

  (a) In General.--Section 5102 is amended by adding at the end thereof 
the following new subsection:
  ``(c) Time Limitation.--
          ``(1) If information that a claimant and the claimant's 
        representative, if any, are notified under subsection (b) is 
        necessary to complete an application is not received by the 
        Secretary within one year from the date of such notification, 
        no benefit may be paid or furnished by reason of the claimant's 
        application.
          ``(2) The subsection shall not apply to any application or 
        claim for Government life insurance benefits.''.
  (b) Repeal of Superseded Provisions.--Section 5103 is amended--
          (1) by striking ``(a) Required Information and Evidence.--''; 
        and
          (2) by striking subsection (b).
  (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect as if enacted on November 9, 2000, immediately after the 
enactment of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (Public Law 
106-475; 114 Stat. 2096).

SEC. 5. MODIFICATION OF LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS FOR ADVANCE PLANNING.

  Section 8104 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following 
new subsection:
  ``(g) Subsection (f) shall not apply with respect to the obligation 
of funds for a project if the project is specifically authorized by law 
prior to the obligation of funds.''.
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