[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1516 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1516

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national 
          cemetery for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 2003

  Mr. Gerlach (for himself and Mr. Hoeffel) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national 
          cemetery for veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania.

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

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The metropolitan Philadelphia area is home to over 
        340,000 veterans and their families.
            (2) The Philadelphia National Cemetery is closed to all but 
        cremated remains.
            (3) The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Lebanon County, 
        Pennsylvania is the only practicable inground burial 
        alternative for many veterans and their families.
            (4) The trip to the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery can be 
        very difficult for many widows, widowers, and other family 
        members from the Philadelphia area who wish to visit the graves 
        of their loved ones.
            (5) Almost 290,000 veterans in the Philadelphia area live 
        at least 65 miles away from the Indiantown Gap National 
        Cemetery.
            (6) It is in the national interest to establish a new 
        national cemetery in southeast Pennsylvania.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than four years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United States 
Code, a national cemetery in southeastern Pennsylvania to serve the 
needs of veterans and their families.
    (b) Consultation in Selection of Site.--Before selecting the site 
for the national cemetery established under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall consult with--
            (1) appropriate officials of the State of Pennsylvania and 
        local officials of southeastern Pennsylvania,
            (2) appropriate officials of the United States, including 
        the Administrator of General Services, with respect to land 
        belonging to the United States in that area, including land at 
        the Valley Forge National Historic Park, that would be suitable 
        for the purpose of establishing the national cemetery under 
        subsection (a); and
            (3) representatives of veterans service organizations.
The Governor of the State of Pennsylvania may establish a blue-ribbon 
panel consisting of officials of the State and local governments and 
representatives of veterans service organizations in southeastern 
Pennsylvania to make a recommendation to the Secretary in the selection 
of the site. If such a panel is established, not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the chair of the panel 
shall submit to the Secretary a final recommendation for the site of 
the national cemetery and an estimate of the acquisition costs, if any, 
of the site.
    (c) Report.--(1) Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 6 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report on the establishment of the national cemetery 
under subsection (a). The report shall set forth a schedule for such 
establishment and an estimate of the costs associated with such 
establishment.
    (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the Governor of the State of 
Pennsylvania submits notice to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the 
establishment of the blue-ribbon panel under subsection (b) within 60 
days of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit the report required under paragraph (1) not later than 6 months 
after the date of receipt of the final recommendation of the panel.
    (d) Definition of Southeastern Pennsylvania.--In this section, the 
term ``southeastern Pennsylvania'' means--
            (1) the city of Philadelphia; and
            (2) the following counties in the State of Pennsylvania:
                    (A) Berks.
                    (B) Bucks.
                    (C) Chester.
                    (D) Delaware.
                    (E) Philadelphia.
                    (F) Montgomery.
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