[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4757 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 636
114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4757

                          [Report No. 114-812]

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for 
   headstones, markers, and medallions furnished by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for deceased individuals who were awarded the Medal of 
              Honor and are buried in private cemeteries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2016

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

                           November 14, 2016

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 
                               16, 2016]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for 
   headstones, markers, and medallions furnished by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for deceased individuals who were awarded the Medal of 
              Honor and are buried in private cemeteries.


 


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

SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR HEADSTONES, MARKERS, AND 
              MEDALLIONS FOR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.

    Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(5)(A) In carrying out this subsection with respect to a deceased 
individual described in subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall furnish, 
upon request, a headstone or marker under paragraph (1) or a medallion 
under paragraph (4) that signifies the deceased's status as a Medal of 
Honor recipient.
    ``(B) If the Secretary furnished a headstone, marker, or medallion 
under paragraph (1) or (4) for a deceased individual described in 
subparagraph (C) that does not signify the deceased's status as a Medal 
of Honor recipient, the Secretary shall, upon request, replace such 
headstone, marker, or medallion with a headstone, marker, or medallion, 
as the case may be, that so signifies the deceased's status as a Medal 
of Honor recipient.
    ``(C) A deceased individual described in this subparagraph is a 
deceased individual who--
            ``(i) served in the Armed Forces on or after April 6, 1917;
            ``(ii) is eligible for a headstone or marker furnished 
        under paragraph (1) or a medallion furnished under paragraph 
        (4) (or would be so eligible for such headstone, marker, or 
        medallion but for the date of the death of the individual); and
            ``(iii) was awarded the Medal of Honor (including 
        posthumously).''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PRESIDENTIAL MEMORIAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 112(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after ``conditions,'' the following: ``persons 
eligible for burial in a national cemetery by reason of paragraph (2), 
(3), or (7) of section 2402(a) of this title,''.
    (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply 
with respect to the death of a person eligible for burial in a national 
cemetery by reason of paragraph (2), (3), or (7) of section 2402(a) of 
title 38, United States Code, occurring before, on, or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. TRANSPORTATION OF DECEASED VETERANS TO VETERANS' CEMETERIES.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 2308 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--(1) The Secretary may pay, in addition to any 
amount paid pursuant to section 2302 or 2307 of this title, the cost of 
transportation of the deceased veteran described in paragraph (1) or 
(2) of subsection (b) for burial in a national cemetery or a covered 
veterans' cemetery. Such payment shall not exceed the cost of 
transportation to the national cemetery nearest the veteran's last 
place of residence in which burial space is available.
    ``(2) The Secretary may pay, in addition to any amount paid 
pursuant to section 2302 or 2307 of this title, the cost of 
transportation of the deceased veteran described in subsection (b)(3) 
for burial in a national cemetery. Such payment shall not exceed the 
cost of transportation to the national cemetery nearest the veteran's 
last place of residence in which burial space is available.''.
    (b) Covered Veterans' Cemetery Defined.--Section 2308 of such title 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Covered Veterans' Cemetery Defined.--In this section, the 
term `covered veterans' cemetery' means, with respect to a deceased 
veteran described in subsection (b), a veterans' cemetery owned by a 
State or a tribal organization (as defined in section 3765(4) of this 
title) in which the deceased veteran is eligible to be buried.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2308 of such title is amended in 
the section heading by adding at the end the following: ``or a 
veterans' cemetery''.
    (d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 23 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 2308 and inserting the following new item:

``2308. Transportation of deceased veteran to a national cemetery or a 
                            veterans' cemetery.''.
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend title 38, 
        United States Code, to expand certain benefits related to the 
        burial of deceased veterans, and for other purposes.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 636

114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 4757

                          [Report No. 114-812]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for 
   headstones, markers, and medallions furnished by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for deceased individuals who were awarded the Medal of 
              Honor and are buried in private cemeteries.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           November 14, 2016

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed