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II
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 3039
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program
to conduct cemetery research and produce educational materials for the
Veterans Legacy Program, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
DECEMBER 12, 2019
Mr. TESTER (for himself and Mr. ROUNDS) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish
a grant program to conduct cemetery research and
produce educational materials for the Veterans Legacy
Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CEMETERY RESEARCH
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AND THE PRODUCTION OF EDUCATIONAL
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MATERIALS FOR THE VETERANS LEGACY
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PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AD-
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MINISTRATION.
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(a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
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•S 3039 IS
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans
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Affairs may establish a grant program to conduct
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cemetery research and produce educational materials
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for the Veterans Legacy Program.
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(2) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary may
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award a grant under this section to any of the fol-
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lowing recipients:
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(A) An institution of higher learning.
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(B) A local educational agency.
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(C) A nonprofit entity that the Secretary
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determines has a demonstrated history of com-
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munity engagement.
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(D) Such other recipient as the Secretary
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determines to be appropriate.
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(3) USE OF FUNDS.—The recipient of a grant
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under this section may use the grant amount for the
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following purposes:
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(A) To conduct research relating to na-
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tional, State, or Tribal veterans’ cemeteries.
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(B) To produce educational materials for
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the purpose of teaching about the histories of
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veterans interred in national, State, or Tribal
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veterans’ cemeteries.
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•S 3039 IS
(C) To promote community engagement
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with the histories of veterans interred in na-
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tional, State, or Tribal veterans’ cemeteries.
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(4) MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of
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a grant awarded under this section may not exceed
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$500,000.
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(b) REGULATIONS.—If the Secretary establishes a
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grant program under this section, the Secretary shall pre-
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scribe regulations regarding—
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(1) the evaluation of applications for grants
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under the program; and
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(2) administration of the program.
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(c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years
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after the date on which the Secretary establishes a grant
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program under this section, the Secretary shall submit to
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the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
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Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
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resentatives a report on the determination of the Secretary
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as to whether the grant program is a financially effective
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means to promote the purposes under subsection (a)(3).
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(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING.—The
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term ‘‘institution of higher learning’’ has the mean-
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ing given that term in section 3452(f) of title 38,
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United States Code.
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•S 3039 IS
(2) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term
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‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given
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that term in section 8101 of the Elementary and
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Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
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(3) VETERANS LEGACY PROGRAM.—The term
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‘‘Veterans Legacy Program’’ means the program of
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the National Cemetery Administration that is re-
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sponsible for providing engagement and educational
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tools and opportunities for the public regarding the
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service and sacrifice of veterans interred in national,
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State, and Tribal veterans’ cemeteries.
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Æ
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