[108th Congress Public Law 109]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


[DOCID: f:publ109.108]

[[Page 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

[[Page 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.

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