[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 18, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8134-S8135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAHAM of Florida (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, and 
        Mr. Sessions):
  S. 1282. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish national cemeteries for geographically underserved 
populations of veterans, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. GRAHAM of Florida. Madam President, I rise today to introduce 
legislation that will ensure that America's veterans and their families 
have access to the funeral honors they have earned. The brave men and 
women who fought for our Nation are a population that is aging rapidly. 
In 2002, America

[[Page S8135]]

lost 646,264 veterans. Projections show that this rate will continue to 
climb through the year 2008, when the annual death of the World War II 
and Korea-era veterans will peak at 700,000.
  By the end of 2004, only 64 of the 124 veterans national cemeteries 
will be available for both casketed and cremated remains. As cemetery 
service capabilities decrease, veterans in areas near those cemeteries 
that are at capacity may lose access to burial options located within a 
reasonable distance of their homes. In order to ensure that burial 
options are provided for veterans and their family members, we must 
develop new cemeteries and expand existing cemeteries. This process 
must start as soon as possible because the construction of a new 
cemetery takes an average of 7 years.
  That is why I offer this bill today, which would authorize the 
construction of ten new national cemeteries and ensure that the burial 
needs of veterans and their family members will be met in the future.
  In anticipation of veterans' future needs, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs conducted a study that identifies veteran population centers 
not served by an open national or state veterans cemetery. The report, 
``Future Burial Needs,'' was initially released in May 2002 and has 
been recently revised using veteran population estimates from the 2000 
census. My legislation would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs 
to establish ten new national veterans cemeteries in the top ten areas 
identified to be in the greatest need. These areas would include 
Sarasota, FL, Salem, OR, Birmingham, AL, St. Louis, MO, San Antonio, 
TX, Chesapeake, VA, Sumter, FL, Bakersfield, CA, Jacksonville, FL, and 
Philadelphia, PA.
  We can not afford to wait any longer if we are to fulfill this 
commitment to our nation's veterans. Mr. President, I am proud to 
sponsor this important bill, and look forward to the support of my 
colleagues as we provide for our veterans who have given so much for 
our country. Thank you.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1281

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

     SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CEMETERIES FOR 
                   GEOGRAPHICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS OF 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) Identification of Underserved Burial Service Areas.--
     The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall identify the 10 
     burial service areas in the United States that, as determined 
     by the Secretary, are most in need of a new national cemetery 
     in order to ensure that 90 percent of the veterans who reside 
     in each such service area live within 75 miles of a national 
     cemetery.
       (b) Burial Service Area.--For purposes of this section, the 
     term ``burial service area'' means a service area for burial 
     in national cemeteries that is established by the Secretary 
     utilizing the most current population data available to the 
     Secretary as of the date of the enactment of this Act, which 
     service area--
       (1) has a radius of approximately 75 miles;
       (2) contains a minimum population of veterans of 
     approximately 170,000 veterans; and
       (3) is not served as of the date of the enactment of this 
     Act by a national cemetery or State cemetery for veterans.
       (c) Establishment of National Cemeteries.--The Secretary 
     shall establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, 
     United States Code, a national cemetery in each burial 
     service area identified under subsection (a) in order to 
     serve the burial needs of veterans and their families.
       (d) Advance Planning.--(1) The Secretary shall carry out in 
     fiscal year 2004 such activities as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate for advance planning for the establishment of 
     national cemeteries under subsection (c).
       (2) Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2004 for the 
     advance planning fund in the Construction, Major Projects 
     account shall be available for activities under paragraph 
     (1).
       (e) Reports.--(1) Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report on the establishment of national cemeteries 
     under subsection (c). The report shall set forth the 
     following:
       (A) Each burial service area identified by the Secretary 
     under subsection (a) to require the establishment of a 
     national cemetery under subsection (c).
       (B) A schedule for the establishment of each such national 
     cemetery.
       (C) An estimate of the costs of the establishment of each 
     such national cemetery.
       (D) The amount to be obligated under subsection (d) during 
     fiscal year 2004 for advance planning required under that 
     subsection.
       (2) Not later than one year after the date of the report 
     under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter until the 
     completion of each national cemetery required by subsection 
     (c), the Secretary shall submit to Congress an update of the 
     report under that paragraph (as previously updated, if at 
     all, under this paragraph).
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