[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 691 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 691

  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national 
 cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2009

   Mr. Bennet (for himself and Mr. Udall of Colorado) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national 
 cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region, 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. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CEMETERY IN SOUTHERN COLORADO 
              REGION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish, 
in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United States Code, a 
national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado, to serve the needs of 
veterans and their families in the southern Colorado region.
    (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 Colorado and 
        local officials in the southern Colorado region; and
            (2) appropriate officials of the United States, including 
        the Administrator of General Services, with respect to land 
        belonging to the United States in El Paso County, Colorado, 
        that would be suitable to establish the national cemetery under 
        subsection (a).
    (c) Authority To Accept Donation of Parcel of Land.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
        accept on behalf of the United States the gift of an 
        appropriate parcel of real property. The Secretary shall have 
        administrative jurisdiction over such parcel of real property, 
        and shall use such parcel to establish the national cemetery 
        under subsection (a).
            (2) Income tax treatment of gift.--For purposes of Federal 
        income, estate, and gift taxes, the real property accepted 
        under paragraph (1) shall be considered as a gift to the United 
        States.
    (d) Report.--As soon as practicable 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.
    (e) Southern Colorado Region Defined.--In this Act, the term 
``southern Colorado region'' means the geographic region consisting of 
the following Colorado counties:
            (1) El Paso.
            (2) Pueblo.
            (3) Teller.
            (4) Fremont.
            (5) Las Animas.
            (6) Huerfano.
            (7) Custer.
            (8) Costilla.
            (9) Alamosa.
            (10) Saguache.
            (11) Conejos.
            (12) Mineral.
            (13) Archuleta.
            (14) Hinsdale.
            (15) Gunnison.
            (16) Pitkin.
            (17) La Plata.
            (18) Montezuma.
            (19) San Juan.
            (20) Ouray.
            (21) San Miguel.
            (22) Dolores.
            (23) Montrose.
            (24) Delta.
            (25) Mesa.
            (26) Crowley.
            (27) Kiowa.
            (28) Bent.
            (29) Baca.
                                 <all>