To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase plot allowances for certain veterans buried in Department of Veterans Affairs cemeteries or State cemeteries and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans who are buried in State cemeteries, and for other purposes.

Increases from $300 to $500 the plot allowances for veterans who die in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care facility and are buried in a national or state cemetery.

Directs the Secretary to pay to a state or an agency or political subdivision thereof a plot allowance of $500 for each spouse and child of certain veterans who are eligible for interment in a national cemetery but are buried in a state cemetery.

Directs the Secretary to annually adjust the $500 plot allowance by an amount equal to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. Prohibits any such adjustment with respect to FY2011.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6013 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6013

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase plot allowances for 
certain veterans buried in Department of Veterans Affairs cemeteries or 
  State cemeteries and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
 provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans 
      who are buried in State cemeteries, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2010

 Mr. Adler of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. Rothman of 
 New Jersey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase plot allowances for 
certain veterans buried in Department of Veterans Affairs cemeteries or 
  State cemeteries and to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
 provide a plot allowance for spouses and children of certain veterans 
      who are buried in State cemeteries, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. PAYMENT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF PLOT ALLOWANCE 
              FOR CERTAIN VETERANS, SPOUSES, AND CHILDREN.

    (a) Increase in Plot Allowance for Certain Veterans Buried in 
Department of Veterans Affairs or State Cemeteries.--
            (1) Department cemeteries.--Subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 
        2303 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
        ``$300'' and inserting ``$500''.
            (2) State cemeteries.--Subsection (b) of such section is 
        amended by striking ``$300'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``$500''.
    (b) Payment of Plot Allowances for Spouses and Children of Certain 
Veterans Buried in State Cemeteries.--Section 2303 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(c)(1) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (2) 
who is buried in a cemetery that is owned by a State or by an agency or 
political subdivision of a State, the Secretary shall pay to such 
State, agency, or political subdivision the sum of $500 as a plot or 
interment allowance for such individual.
    ``(2) An individual described in this paragraph is a spouse, 
surviving spouse (which for purposes of this chapter includes a 
surviving spouse who had a subsequent remarriage), minor child (which 
for purposes of this chapter includes a child under 21 years of age, or 
under 23 years of age if pursuing a course of instruction at an 
approved educational institution), or, in the discretion of the 
Secretary, unmarried adult child of any of person described in 
paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (7) of section 2402 of this title.''.
    (c) Annual Adjustment.--Such section is further amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide 
a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar) in the amounts 
set forth in subsections (a)(1)(A), (b)(1), (b)(2), and (c)(1) equal to 
the percentage by which--
            ``(1) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States 
        city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30 
        preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the 
        increase is made, exceeds
            ``(2) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period 
        preceding the 12-month period described in paragraph (1).''.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to an 
        individual who dies on or after the date of the enactment of 
        this Act.
            (2) Prohibition on cost-of-living adjustment for fiscal 
        year 2011.--No adjustments shall be made under section 2303(d) 
        of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (c), 
        for fiscal year 2011.
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