[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S5475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO DISINTER THE REMAINS OF 
    FERNANDO V. COTA FROM FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, TEXAS

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Veterans Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 1071 
and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.

  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1071) to require the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort 
     Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1071) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and was passed as follows:

                                S. 1071

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

     SECTION 1. DISINTERMENT OF REMAINS OF FERNANDO V. COTA FROM 
                   FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, TEXAS.

       (a) Disinterment.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from 
     Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.
       (b) Notification.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     not carry out subsection (a) until after notifying the next 
     of kin of Fernando V. Cota.
       (c) Disposition.--After carrying out subsection (a), the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
       (1) relinquish the remains to the next of kin described in 
     subsection (b); or
       (2) if no such next of kin responds to the notification 
     under subsection (b), arrange for disposition of the remains 
     as the Secretary determines appropriate.

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