    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    117 STAT. 1322]]

    Public Law 108-109
    108th Congress

    An Act

    To provide for the establishment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of
    additional cemeteries in the National Cemetery
    Administration. [NOTE: Nov. 11, 2003 -  [H.R. 1516]]

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
    United States of America in Congress [NOTE: National Cemetery Expansion
    Act of 2003. 38 USC 2400 note.] assembled,

    SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Cemetery Expansion Act of
    2003''.

    SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NATIONAL [NOTE: 38 USC 2400
    note. Deadline.] CEMETERIES.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 4 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 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 [NOTE: Deadline.] 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

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    117 STAT. 1323

    establishment of all 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.

    Approved November 11, 2003.

    LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1516:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108-199 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
    SENATE REPORTS: No. 108-164 (Comm. on Veterans' Affairs).
    CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
    July 21, considered and passed House.
    Oct. 17, considered and passed Senate, amended.
    Oct. 29, House concurred in Senate amendments.