[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1114 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1114

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a process for 
  determining whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by the 
          national cemeteries located in that geographic area.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 23, 2009

 Mr. Rehberg 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 process for 
  determining whether a geographic area is sufficiently served by the 
          national cemeteries located in that geographic area.

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

SECTION 1. DETERMINATION BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF WHETHER A 
              GEOGRAPHIC AREA IS SERVED BY NATIONAL CEMETERIES LOCATED 
              IN THAT AREA.

    (a) Process Required.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a process for determining whether a geographic area is 
sufficiently served by the national cemeteries located in that 
geographic area. Such process shall take into account each of the 
following:
            (1) The number of veterans living in the geographic area.
            (2) The average distance a resident of the geographic area 
        must travel to reach the nearest national cemetery.
            (3) The population density of the geographic area.
            (4) The average amount of time it takes a resident of the 
        geographic area to travel to the nearest national cemetery.
            (5) The availability of public transportation for purposes 
        of traveling to national cemeteries located in the geographic 
        area.
            (6) The average amount of any fees charged to an individual 
        traveling on the major roads leading to the national cemeteries 
        located in the geographic area.
    (b) Consideration of Alternatives.--In the case of a geographic 
area in which sufficient land is not available to the Secretary for the 
establishment of a cemetery, the Secretary shall consider alternatives 
to establishing a cemetery, including establishing a mausoleum.
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