National Cemeteries Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
National Cemeteries Act - Establishes within the Veterans' Administration a national cemetery system consisting of all cemeteries of the United States in which veterans of any war or conflict or of service in the armed forces may be buried. Establishes an advisory committee on cemeteries and memorials to advise and consult with the administrator with respect to the administration of the cemeteries. Specifies that the following persons are eligible for interment in any open national cemetery: (1) any veteran; (2) any reservist, whose death occurs under honorable conditions, while undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury or disease contracted while acting within the scope of his reservist duties; (3) any ROTC member whose death occurs under honorable conditions during his training period; (4) any U.S. citizen, who served in the Armed Forces of an allied Government and such service terminated honorably; (5) the wife, surviving spouse, minor child, and the unmarried adult child of the above-mentioned persons; and (6) such other persons as may be designated by the Administrator. Directs the Administrator to make all rules and regulations and conduct whatever business is necessary to establish and maintain such cemeteries. Authorizes the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to acquire needed additional land by purchase, gift, condemnation, transfer from other federal agencies, or otherwise as he determines to be in the best interest of the United States. Directs the Administrator to conduct a comprehensive study and to submit his recommendations to the 93d Congress within six months after such Congress convenes, concerning the criteria which should govern the development and operation of the national cemetery system, including the concept of regional cemeteries; the relationship between that system to other Federal burial benefits provided servicemen and veterans; and the steps to be taken to conform the existing system to the recommended criteria. Authorizes the Administrator to make necessary rules for the governing of property under his control, and to fix penalties for violations. Transfers to the Administrator from the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Airforce the functions and responsibilities of such Secretaries with respect to cemeteries under their jurisdiction. Repeals specified provisions of law dealing with national cemeteries and payment of veterans' burial expenses.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 21, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 21, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
GARRY BROWN (R-MI) introduced it on March 21, 1973. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 21, 1973, 19531 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19531 days ago, on March 21, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers