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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3613 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3613
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a new
national cemetery in the State of Hawai`i, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 12, 2026
Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a new
national cemetery in the State of Hawai`i, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hawai`i National Cemetery Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Veterans, members of the Armed Forces, spouses, and
dependents may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery
pursuant to regulations prescribed under section 2402 of title
38, United States Code.
(2) As part of the National Cemetery Administration's
strategic goals, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs seeks to
ensure that 95 percent of veterans live within 75 miles of a
national, State, or Tribal veterans cemetery.
(3) The National Cemetery Administration's Long Range Plan,
as detailed in the budget submission of the Department of
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, sets goals that seek to
improve burial benefits, including the following:
(A) Veterans and eligible family members will have
increased access to burial benefits.
(B) More veterans and eligible family members will
use such burial and memorial benefits.
(C) Veterans will be memorialized through enhanced
tributes befitting their service and sacrifice to the
Nation.
(D) Stakeholders will place greater trust in the
National Cemetery Administration based on enhanced
accountability.
(E) Stakeholders will be served more efficiently
and effectively by internal capacity of the National
Cemetery Administration.
(4) The goals described in paragraph (3) do not account for
veterans in Hawai`i who prefer to be buried in a national
cemetery even if other options exist. Hawai`i's only national
cemetery, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, has
been essentially closed to casketed burials since 1991 and will
stop accepting cremated remains by 2036. Should a veteran in
Hawai`i prefer an inground burial in a national cemetery, they
are forced to select a cemetery at least 2,500 miles away. This
distance can create significant financial and logistical
burdens compared to veterans in the continental United States,
as air travel that is often cost-prohibitive is required for
casket transportation and visitation.
(5) To maintain equitable access to burial benefits in a
national cemetery for veterans residing in Hawai`i, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs must initiate the construction of
a new national cemetery in Hawai`i to supplement the remaining
columbarium space at the National Memorial Cemetery of the
Pacific. The work should begin immediately, as developing a new
national cemetery must pass through six phases and such a
cemetery can take more than eight years to construct.
(6) While Hawai`i is home to many great State veterans'
cemeteries, establishment of a new national cemetery would
align with the National Cemetery Administration's access goals
and increase options for veterans and other beneficiaries in
the Pacific.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NATIONAL CEMETERY IN THE STATE OF HAWAI`I.
(a) Establishment.--In accordance with chapter 24 of title 38,
United States Code, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish a new national cemetery in the State of Hawai`i.
(b) Site Selection.--In selecting a location for the national
cemetery described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
(1) give priority to a location that--
(A) is near population centers;
(B) is accessible by existing modes of
transportation; and
(C) minimizes environmental impact; and
(2) consult with--
(A) the Governor of Hawai`i;
(B) local representatives of veterans service
organizations; and
(C) other entities the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(c) Reports.--
(1) Potential sites.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report
identifying sites that the Secretary determines appropriate for
the national cemetery described in subsection (a).
(2) Progress reports.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter
until the national cemetery described in subsection (a) is
operational, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report regarding the establishment
of such national cemetery, including progress regarding the
following elements:
(A) Site selection.
(B) Environmental impact assessment.
(C) Land acquisition.
(D) Master planning and design development.
(E) Preparation of construction documents.
(F) Award of construction contracts.
(G) Completion of construction.
(H) Beginning of operations.
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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