[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3936 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3936

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the principal 
office of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to be 
at any location in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, rather than 
only in the District of Columbia, and expressing the sense of Congress 
   that a dedicated Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center should be 
 provided for that Court and those it serves and should be located, if 
   feasible, at a site owned by the United States that is part of or 
     proximate to the Pentagon Reservation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2004

   Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Skelton) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 
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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the principal 
office of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to be 
at any location in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, rather than 
only in the District of Columbia, and expressing the sense of Congress 
   that a dedicated Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center should be 
 provided for that Court and those it serves and should be located, if 
   feasible, at a site owned by the United States that is part of or 
     proximate to the Pentagon Reservation, 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. PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR 
              VETERANS CLAIMS.

    Section 7255 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``District of Columbia'' and inserting ``Washington, D.C., 
metropolitan area''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NEW VETERANS 
              COURTHOUSE AND JUSTICE CENTER.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Every Article I court of the United States other than 
        the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is 
        located in a dedicated courthouse.
            (2) The United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims 
        has since its creation in 1988 been located in a commercial 
        office building in the District of Columbia.
            (3) That court should be housed in a dedicated courthouse, 
        as are all other Article I courts.
            (4) A dedicated courthouse for that court constituting a 
        Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center would express the 
        gratitude and respect of the Nation for the sacrifices of those 
        serving and those who have served in the Armed Forces, and 
        their families.
            (5) Location of such a courthouse and judicial center in an 
        area proximate to the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, 
        and the Air Force Memorial (as planned) in Arlington, Virginia 
        would be symbolically significant of the high esteem that the 
        Nation holds for its veterans.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a dedicated Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center 
        should be provided for the United States Court of Appeals for 
        Veterans Claims; and
            (2) the Secretary of Defense, in cooperation with the 
        United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Administrator of General 
        Services, should determine the feasibility of locating such a 
        Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center at an appropriate site 
        owned by the United States that is part of or proximate to the 
        Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, and the Administrator of General Services shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs and the Committees on Armed Services of 
the Senate and House of Representatives a joint report on the 
feasibility of locating a new Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center at 
an appropriate site owned by the United States that is part of or 
proximate to the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia.
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