[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2770. Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. Reed, and Ms. Klobuchar) 
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 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.''.
                                 ______