[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4812-S4813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2495. Mr. WHITEHOUSE submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department 
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1095. GRANTS FOR STATE, COUNTY, AND TRIBAL VETERANS' 
                   CEMETERIES THAT ALLOW INTERMENT OF CERTAIN 
                   PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR INTERMENT IN NATIONAL 
                   CEMETERIES.

       Section 2408 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (l); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (j) the following new 
     subsection (k):
       ``(k)(1) The Secretary may not establish a condition for a 
     grant under this section that

[[Page S4813]]

     restricts the ability of a State, county, or tribal 
     organization receiving such a grant to allow the interment of 
     any person described in paragraph (8) or (10) of section 
     2402(a) of this title in a veterans' cemetery owned by that 
     State or county or on trust land owned by, or held in trust 
     for, that tribal organization.
       ``(2) The Secretary may not deny an application for a grant 
     under this section solely on the basis that the State, 
     county, or tribal organization receiving such grant may use 
     funds from such grant to expand, improve, operate, or 
     maintain a veterans' cemetery in which interment of persons 
     described in paragraph (8) or (10) of section 2402(a) of this 
     title is allowed.
       ``(3)(A) When requested by a State, county, or tribal 
     organization in receipt of a grant made under this section, 
     the Secretary shall--
       ``(i) determine whether a person is eligible for burial in 
     a national cemetery under paragraph (8) or (10) of section 
     2402(a) of this title; and
       ``(ii) advise the grant recipient of the determination.
       ``(B) A grant recipient described in subparagraph (A) may 
     use a determination of the Secretary under such subparagraph 
     as a determination of the eligibility of the person concerned 
     for burial in the cemetery for which the grant was made.''.
                                 ______