[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S12853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL CEMETERY EXPANSION ACT OF 2003

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 307, H.R. 1516.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1516) to provide for the establishment by the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs of five additional cemeteries 
     in the National Cemetery System.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill 
which had been reported from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, with 
amendments, as follows:
  [Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the parts shown 
in italic.]

                               H.R. 1516

       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 ``National Cemetery Expansion 
     Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than four years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United 
     States Code, shall establish [five] six new national 
     cemeteries. The new cemeteries shall be located in the 
     following locations (those locations having been determined 
     by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to be the most 
     appropriate locations for new national cemeteries):
       (1) Southeastern Pennsylvania.
       (2) The Birmingham, Alabama, area.
       (3) The Jacksonville, Florida, area.
       (4) The Bakersfield, California, area.
       (5) The Greenville/Columbia, South Carolina, area.
       (6) The Sarasota County, Florida, area.
       (b) Funds.--Amounts appropriated for the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2003 
     for Advance Planning shall be available for the purposes of 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Site Selection Process.--In determining the specific 
     sites for the new cemeteries required by subsection (a) 
     within the locations specified in that subsection, the 
     Secretary shall solicit the advice and views of 
     representatives of State and local veterans organizations and 
     other individuals as the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (d) Initial Report.--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 the national 
     cemeteries required by subsection (a). The report shall--
       (1) set forth a schedule for the establishment of each such 
     cemetery and an estimate of the costs associated with the 
     establishment of each such cemetery; and
       (2) identify the amount of Advance Planning Funds obligated 
     for purposes of this section as of the submission of the 
     report.
       (e) Annual Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     an annual report on the implementation of this section until 
     the establishment of all [five] six cemeteries is completed 
     and each such cemetery has opened. The Secretary shall 
     include in each such annual report an update of the 
     information provided under paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
     subsection (d).
       (f) Definition of Southeastern Pennsylvania.--In this 
     section, the term ``southeastern Pennsylvania'' means the 
     city of Philadelphia and Berks County, Bucks County, Chester 
     County, Delaware County, Philadelphia County, and Montgomery 
     County in the State of Pennsylvania.
       Amend the title to read: ``An Act to provide for the 
     establishment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of 
     additional cemeteries in the National Cemetery 
     Administration.''.

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendments be 
agreed to, that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, 
the amendment to the title be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The title amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 1516), as amended, was read the third time and passed, 
as follows:
       Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives 
     (H.R. 1516) entitled ``An Act to provide for the 
     establishment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of five 
     additional cemeteries in the National Cemetery System.'', do 
     pass with the following amendments:
       (1) Page 2, line 8, strike out [five] and insert: six

       (2) Page 2, after line 18, insert:
       (6) The Sarasota County, Florida, area.

       (3) Page 3, line 17, strike out [five] and insert: six
       Amend the title so as to read: ``An Act to provide for the 
     establishment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of 
     additional cemeteries in the National Cemetery 
     Administration.''

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