[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1358 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1358

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries individuals who 
    supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 14, 2015

 Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Franken, 
and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice 
           and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to inter in national cemeteries individuals who 
    supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era.

    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 ``Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR INTERMENT IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 2402(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(10) Any individual--
                    ``(A) who--
                            ``(i) was naturalized pursuant to section 
                        2(1) of the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act 
                        of 2000 (Public Law 106-207; 8 U.S.C. 1423 
                        note); and
                            ``(ii) at the time of the individual's 
                        death resided in the United States; or
                    ``(B) who--
                            ``(i) the Secretary determines served with 
                        a special guerrilla unit or irregular forces 
                        operating from a base in Laos in support of the 
                        Armed Forces of the United States at any time 
                        during the period beginning February 28, 1961, 
                        and ending May 7, 1975; and
                            ``(ii) at the time of the individual's 
                        death--
                                    ``(I) was a citizen of the United 
                                States or an alien lawfully admitted 
                                for permanent residence in the United 
                                States; and
                                    ``(II) resided in the United 
                                States.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to an individual dying on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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