[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3715 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3715


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 24, 2016

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to permit interments, funerals, memorial services, and 
   ceremonies of deceased veterans at national cemeteries and State 
  cemeteries receiving grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs 
                        during certain weekends.

    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 ``Final Farewell Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF INTERMENTS, FUNERALS, MEMORIAL SERVICES, AND 
              CEREMONIES AT NATIONAL CEMETERIES AND STATE CEMETERIES 
              RECEIVING GRANTS DURING WEEKENDS.

    (a) National Cemeteries.--Section 2404 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) The Secretary shall permit the interment or funeral, memorial 
service, or ceremony of a deceased veteran at a national cemetery 
during weekends, other than Federal holiday weekends, upon a request of 
the next-of-kin of the veteran.''.
    (b) State Cemeteries.--Section 2408(c) of such title is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph (2):
    ``(2) In addition to the conditions specified in subsection (b) and 
paragraph (1), any grant to a State under this section to assist such 
State in establishing a veterans' cemetery shall be made on the 
condition that such cemetery shall permit the interment or funeral, 
memorial service, or ceremony of a deceased veteran at the cemetery 
during weekends, other than Federal holiday weekends, upon a request of 
the next-of-kin of the veteran.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to deaths occurring on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Notice Requirement.--Upon receipt of a request for an 
application for burial or interment in a national cemetery, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide notice to the individual 
submitting the request of the opportunity to request the interment or 
funeral, memorial service, or ceremony of a deceased veteran at a 
national cemetery during weekends, other than Federal holiday weekends, 
as authorized by subsection (i) of section 2404 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a).

            Passed the House of Representatives May 23, 2016.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.