IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 3, 2009
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region.
(a) In General- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United States Code, a national cemetery in El Paso County, Colorado, to serve the needs of veterans and their families in the southern Colorado region.
(b) Consultation in Selection of Site- Before selecting the site for the national cemetery established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with--
(1) appropriate officials of the State of Colorado and local officials in the southern Colorado region; and
(2) appropriate officials of the United States, including the Administrator of General Services, with respect to land belonging to the United States in El Paso County, Colorado, that would be suitable to establish the national cemetery under subsection (a).
(c) Authority To Accept Donation of Parcel of Land-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may accept on behalf of the United States the gift of an appropriate parcel of real property. The Secretary shall have administrative jurisdiction over such parcel of real property, and shall use such parcel to establish the national cemetery under subsection (a).
(2) INCOME TAX TREATMENT OF GIFT- For purposes of Federal income, estate, and gift taxes, the real property accepted under paragraph (1) shall be considered as a gift to the United States.
(d) Report- As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the establishment of the national cemetery under subsection (a). The report shall set forth a schedule for such establishment and an estimate of the costs associated with such establishment.
(e) Relationship to Construction and Five Year Capital Plan- The requirement to establish a national cemetery under subsection (a) shall be added to the current list of priority projects, but should not take priority over existing projects listed on the National Cemetery Administration’s construction and five-year capital plan for fiscal year 2008.
(f) Southern Colorado Region Defined- In this Act, the term ‘southern Colorado region’ means the geographic region consisting of the following Colorado counties:
(1) El Paso.
(2) Pueblo.
(3) Teller.
(4) Fremont.
(5) Las Animas.
(6) Huerfano.
(7) Custer.
(8) Costilla.
(9) Alamosa.
(10) Saguache.
(11) Conejos.
(12) Mineral.
(13) Archuleta.
(14) Hinsdale.
(15) Gunnison.
(16) Pitkin.
(17) La Plata.
(18) Montezuma.
(19) San Juan.
(20) Ouray.
(21) San Miguel.
(22) Dolores.
(23) Montrose.
(24) Delta.
(25) Mesa.
(26) Crowley.
(27) Kiowa.
(28) Bent.
(29) Baca.
Passed the House of Representatives November 2, 2009.
U.S. Congress - Text of H.R.174 as Referred in Senate To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for vetera...
