[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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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:
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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.