[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6503 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6503

  To require reports on the management of Arlington National Cemetery.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2010

Mr. Braley of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require reports on the management of Arlington National Cemetery.

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

SECTION 1. REPORTS ON MANAGEMENT OF ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

    (a) Report on Gravesite Discrepancies.--Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army 
shall submit to the committees of Congress specified in subsection (c) 
a report setting forth an accounting of the gravesites at Arlington 
National Cemetery, Virginia. The accounting shall--
            (1) specify whether gravesite locations at Arlington 
        National Cemetery are correctly identified, labeled, and 
        occupied; and
            (2) set forth a plan of action, including the resources 
        required and a proposed schedule, to implement remedial actions 
        to address deficiencies identified pursuant to the accounting.
    (b) GAO Review of Management and Oversight of Contracts.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
        United States shall submit to the committees of Congress 
        specified in subsection (c) a report on the management and 
        oversight of contracts at Arlington National Cemetery.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The number, dollar amount, and duration of 
                current contracts at Arlington National Cemetery over 
                the simplified acquisition threshold.
                    (B) The number, dollar amount, and duration of 
                current contracts for automation of burial operations 
                at Arlington National Cemetery, including contracts 
                relating to the Total Cemetery Management System 
                (TCMS), the Geographic Information System (GIS), the 
                Interment Scheduling System (ISS), the Interment 
                Management System (IMS), and new or modified versions 
                of the Burial Operations Support System (BOSS) of the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs.
                    (C) An assessment of the management and oversight 
                by the Executive Director of the Army National 
                Cemeteries Program of the contracts covered by 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B), including the use of and 
                actions taken for that purpose by the Corps of 
                Engineers and the National Capital Region Contracting 
                Center of the Army Contracting Command.
                    (D) An assessment of the actions taken by the 
                Executive Director of the Army National Cemeteries 
                Program in response to the findings and recommendations 
                of the Inspector General of the Army in the report 
                entitled ``Report of Investigation and Special 
                Inspection of Arlington National Cemetery Final Report 
                (Case 10-04)'', dated June 9, 2010.
                    (E) An assessment of the implementation of the 
                following:
                            (i) Army Directive 2010-04 on Enhancing the 
                        Operations and Oversight of the Army National 
                        Cemeteries Program, dated June 10, 2010, 
                        including, without limitation, an evaluation of 
                        the sufficiency of all contract management and 
                        oversight procedures, current and planned 
                        information and technology systems, 
                        applications, and contracts, current 
                        organizational structure and manpower, and 
                        compliance with and execution of all plans, 
                        reviews, studies, evaluations, and requirements 
                        specified in the Army Directive.
                            (ii) The recommendations and actions 
                        proposed by the Army National Cemeteries 
                        Advisory Commission with respect to Arlington 
                        National Cemetery.
                    (F) An assessment of the adequacy of current 
                practices at Arlington National Cemetery to provide 
                information, outreach, and support to families of 
                individuals buried at Arlington National Cemetery 
                regarding procedures to detect and correct current 
                errors in burials at Arlington National Cemetery.
                    (G) An assessment of the feasibility and 
                advisability of transferring jurisdiction of Arlington 
                National Cemetery and the United States Soldiers' and 
                Airmen's Home National Cemetery to the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs, and an assessment of the feasibility 
                and advisability of the sharing of jurisdiction of such 
                facilities between the Department of Defense and the 
                Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (3) Simplified acquisition threshold defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``simplified acquisition threshold'' has 
        the meaning provided that term in section 4 of the Office of 
        Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403).
    (c) Specified Committees of Congress.--The committees of Congress 
specified in this subsection are--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Oversight and Government Reform, and the Committee on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the House of Representatives.
    (d) Reports on Implementation of Army Directive on Army National 
Cemeteries Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Army shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress reports on execution of 
        and compliance with Army Directive 2010-04 on Enhancing the 
        Operations and Oversight of the Army National Cemeteries 
        Program, dated June 10, 2010. Each such report shall include, 
        for the preceding 270 days or year (as applicable), a 
        description and assessment of the following:
                    (A) Execution of and compliance with every section 
                of the Army Directive for Arlington National Cemetery, 
                including, without limitation, an evaluation of the 
                sufficiency of all contract management and oversight 
                procedures, current and planned information and 
                technology systems, applications, and contracts, 
                current organizational structure and manpower, and 
                compliance with and execution of all plans, reviews, 
                studies, evaluations, and requirements specified in the 
                Army Directive.
                    (B) The adequacy of current practices at Arlington 
                National Cemetery to provide information, outreach, and 
                support to families of those individuals buried at 
                Arlington National Cemetery regarding procedures to 
                detect and correct current errors in burials at 
                Arlington National Cemetery.
            (2) Period and frequency of submittal.--A report required 
        by paragraph (1) shall be submitted not later than 270 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every year 
        thereafter for the next 2 years.
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