[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2848 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2848

   To provide for certain requirements of the Secretary of Veterans 
    Affairs relating to funeral and memorial services for deceased 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 7, 2011

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for certain requirements of the Secretary of Veterans 
    Affairs relating to funeral and memorial services for deceased 
                   veterans, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Religious Freedom Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO 
              FUNERAL AND MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR DECEASED VETERANS.

    (a) Provision of Options to Family Members of Deceased.--The 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the family members of 
each veteran who is buried in a national cemetery or eligible for 
burial benefits under chapter 23 of title 38, United States Code, are 
informed of all options available for the funeral or memorial service 
for the veteran.
    (b) Cemetery Director Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided by paragraph (2), by 
        not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the 
        director of each national cemetery is a qualified veteran.
            (2) Exception.--If the Secretary determines that the 
        Secretary is unable to hire a qualified veteran to be the 
        director of a national cemetery, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) notify the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of 
                the Senate and House of Representatives of such 
                determination; and
                    (B) after making such notification, hire a 
                qualified non-veteran individual to act as interim 
                director of the national cemetery until the date on 
                which the Secretary is able to hire a qualified veteran 
                for such position.
    (c) Religious Speech at Veteran Funerals.--The Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs may not--
            (1) prescribe regulations to censor or otherwise limit the 
        type of religious speech that may be performed by a member of a 
        veterans service organization at the funeral or memorial 
        service of a veteran; or
            (2) censor or otherwise limit the type of religious speech 
        of private speakers who have been invited to speak on property 
        of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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