[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 2 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E36]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY BURIAL ELIGIBILITY ACT

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                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 6, 1999

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join today with the gentleman 
from Arizona, the Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, to 
introduce the Arlington National Cemetery Burial Eligibility Act. This 
important legislation is deserving of the strong support of each Member 
and I am hopeful this measure will receive prompt attention and 
consideration early in the 106th Congress.
  The measure which Chairman Stump and I are introducing today is 
similar to legislation approved by the House last year. This measure, 
like the legislation approved by the House during the 105th Congress, 
establishes eligibility rules for burial at Arlington National 
Cemetery--one of our Nation's most hallowed sites.
  As noted by the General Accounting Office, the eligibility 
requirements for burial at Arlington National Cemetery need 
clarification and the act introduced today provides that clarification. 
In particular, this important legislation is intended to eliminate the 
inconsistency in the granting of waivers for burial at Arlington 
National Cemetery which has occurred in the past.
  As both a Marine and a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
I know that Arlington National Cemetery is truly sacred ground, 
especially for our Nation's veterans and their loved ones. Like many 
others, I was extremely concerned by reports, later shown to be totally 
without any substantiation, that waivers for burial at Arlington 
National Cemetery had been granted in exchange for major political 
contributions.
  While an expedited examination of this allegation by the General 
Accounting Office found ``no evidence'' of waivers for contributions, 
it did highlight some of the serious flaws in the existing process for 
burials at Arlington National Cemetery.
  The Arlington National Cemetery Burial Eligibility Act which Chairman 
Stump and I are introducing today addresses those concerns by removing 
most of the discretion, ambiguity and guesswork for eligibility for 
burials at Arlington National Cemetery. This legislation will also make 
it easier for the public to understand the requirements for burial at 
Arlington National Cemetery.
  I commend the gentleman from Arizona, Chairman Stump, for his strong 
and effective leadership and his stalwart efforts to establish, in law, 
eligibility for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. I invite all of 
my colleagues to support and cosponsor this most important legislation.

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