[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3786-S3787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. Udall of Colorado):
  S. 691. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish a national cemetery for veterans in southern Colorado region, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I am proud to join today with 
my colleague and fellow Coloradan Senator Michael Bennet in introducing 
legislation to create a national veterans' cemetery in El Paso County, 
CO, and provide a respectful final resting place that our Colorado 
veterans so deserve.
  In a few months, we will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice 
in defending our Nation, as we celebrate Memorial Day weekend. On that 
weekend, friends and family members of our departed veterans will go to 
Veterans Affairs, VA, cemeteries throughout the

[[Page S3787]]

country to honor the memory of their loved ones. Unfortunately, too 
many family members will have to travel far too many miles to pay their 
respects. Even worse, the long distance that some veterans' survivors 
must travel will prevent them from making the trip at all.
  This is true of the loved ones of veterans in southern Colorado, 
whose population features one of the highest concentrations of veterans 
in the Nation. The vast majority of veterans in southern Colorado are 
located far outside of a 75-mile radius of the nearest VA cemeteries, 
Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver and Fort Lyon National Cemetery 
in Bent County.
  For nearly a decade, it has been a goal of the Pikes Peak Veterans 
Cemetery Committee, as well as the Department of Colorado Veterans of 
Foreign Wars, the Colorado chapters of the American Legion, the 
Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Association for Service Disabled 
Veterans, to bring a national cemetery to El Paso County. In the last 
Congress, Representative John Salazar introduced legislation that would 
address this issue, and I supported that legislation along with other 
members of the Colorado delegation.
  That bill, H.R. 1660, passed the House of Representatives unanimously 
by voice vote, highlighting the support southern Colorado veterans have 
received from the entire Nation for the establishment of a VA cemetery 
in El Paso County. Unfortunately, the Senate did not act on this bill 
in the last Congress.
  I hope--and I know that veterans throughout Colorado hope--that this 
year will be different. Representative Salazar has again introduced a 
House bill, and today we introduce the Senate companion. Senator Bennet 
and I will work hard to raise awareness of the need for a new national 
cemetery for southern Colorado and get this bill passed in the Senate. 
We need to ensure that all of our veterans receive the recognition they 
deserve with a final resting place close to their own communities.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

                                 S. 691

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

     SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CEMETERY IN SOUTHERN 
                   COLORADO REGION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United 
     States Code, a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado, 
     to serve the needs of veterans and their families in the 
     southern Colorado region.
       (b) Consultation in Selection of Site.--Before selecting 
     the site for the national cemetery established under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with--
       (1) appropriate officials of the State of Colorado and 
     local officials in the southern Colorado region; and
       (2) appropriate officials of the United States, including 
     the Administrator of General Services, with respect to land 
     belonging to the United States in El Paso County, Colorado, 
     that would be suitable to establish the national cemetery 
     under subsection (a).
       (c) Authority to Accept Donation of Parcel of Land.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     accept on behalf of the United States the gift of an 
     appropriate parcel of real property. The Secretary shall have 
     administrative jurisdiction over such parcel of real 
     property, and shall use such parcel to establish the national 
     cemetery under subsection (a).
       (2) Income tax treatment of gift.--For purposes of Federal 
     income, estate, and gift taxes, the real property accepted 
     under paragraph (1) shall be considered as a gift to the 
     United States.
       (d) Report.--As soon as practicable after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on the establishment of the national cemetery under 
     subsection (a). The report shall set forth a schedule for 
     such establishment and an estimate of the costs associated 
     with such establishment.
       (e) Southern Colorado Region Defined.--In this Act, the 
     term ``southern Colorado region'' means the geographic region 
     consisting of the following Colorado counties:
       (1) El Paso.
       (2) Pueblo.
       (3) Teller.
       (4) Fremont.
       (5) Las Animas.
       (6) Huerfano.
       (7) Custer.
       (8) Costilla.
       (9) Alamosa.
       (10) Saguache.
       (11) Conejos.
       (12) Mineral.
       (13) Archuleta.
       (14) Hinsdale.
       (15) Gunnison.
       (16) Pitkin.
       (17) La Plata.
       (18) Montezuma.
       (19) San Juan.
       (20) Ouray.
       (21) San Miguel.
       (22) Dolores.
       (23) Montrose.
       (24) Delta.
       (25) Mesa.
       (26) Crowley.
       (27) Kiowa.
       (28) Bent.
       (29) Baca.
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