,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #didi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bg1 #bjbb,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4 ,rounds7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to address green burial sections in national cemeteries1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,cemeteries ,preservation and ,protection ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,plot and interment allowances for veterans buried before ,march #ae1 #bjbb1 in cemeteries on trust land owned by1 or held in trust for1 tribal organizations ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall pay a plot or interment allowance under paragraph 7#a7 of section #bcjc7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 for a veteran if-- 7#a7 the veteran was buried1 before ,march #ae1 #bjbb1 in a cemetery1 or in a section of a cemetery1 that is on trust land owned by1 or held in trust for1 a tribal organization2 7#b7 the tribal organization that is responsible for operating and maintaining the cemetery1 or the section of cemetery1 applies for such allowance2 7#c7 a plot or interment allowance was not already paid for the burial of such veteran under paragraph 7#b7 of such section2 and 7#d7 the burial of the veteran otherwise meets the requirements under paragraph 7#a7 of such section4 #c4 ,green burial sections at national cemeteries ,section #bdjd of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking 2 and and inserting a semicolon2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,e7 in the case of grave sites in a green burial section designated under subsection 7i71 the ,secretary may provide for grave markers of such type as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7i7 7#a7 ,the ,secretary may designate one or more sections in any national cemetery as green burial sections4 7#b7 ,in this subsection1 the term green burial section means a section of a cemetery in which the remains of individuals interred in that section-- 7,a7 have been prepared for interment in a manner that does not involve chemicals or embalming fluids2 and 7,b7 have been interred in a natural manner or in completely biodegradable burial receptacles4 4 #d4 ,transfer of administrative jurisdiction over land at ,fort ,bliss1 ,texas1 for expansion of ,fort ,bliss ,national ,cemetery 7a7 ,transfer authorized ,the ,secretary of the ,army may transfer to the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs administrative jurisdiction over a parcel of real property consisting of approximately two acres located at ,fort ,bliss1 ,texas1 directly adjacent to1 and contiguous with1 ,fort ,bliss ,national ,cemetery4 7b7 ,condition of transfer 7#a7 ,in general ,as a condition of the transfer authorized by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs may complete appropriate environmental1 cultural resource1 and other due diligence activities on the real property described in subsection 7c7 before determining whether the property is suitable for cemetery purposes4 7#b7 ,coordination ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall coordinate with the ,secretary of the ,army as needed during the performance of the activities described in paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,description of property 7#a7 ,in general ,the exact acreage and legal description of the real property to be transferred under this section shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the ,secretary the ,army4 7#b7 ,cost of survey ,the cost of the survey described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be borne by the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 7d7 ,additional terms and conditions2 costs of transfer 7#a7 ,additional terms and conditions ,the ,secretary of the ,army may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with the transfer under this section as the ,secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,reimbursement of costs 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall reimburse the ,secretary of the ,defense for costs incurred by the ,secretary of the ,army in implementing this section1 including the costs of any surveys4 7,b7 ,no payment for value of real property ,notwithstanding any other legal requirement that might otherwise apply1 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall not be required to make payment of any kind for the value of the real property described in subsection 7c74 #e4 ,transfer of ,department of the ,interior land for use as a national cemetery ,section #bdjf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,as additional lands and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,as additional lands2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7b7 ,transfer of ,department of the ,interior land for use as a national cemetery ,notwithstanding section #bjd7;d7 of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agad7;d771 if the ,secretary and the ,secretary of the ,interior agree to a transfer under subsection 7a7 of any land for use by the ,department as a national cemetery1 the land shall be-- 7#a7 withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws1 including the mining laws1 the mineral leasing laws1 and the geothermal leasing laws2 7#b7 subject to valid existing rights2 7#c7 transferred to the administrative jurisdiction of the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs2 and 7#d7 deemed to be property 7as defined in section #ajb7i7 of title #dj7 for as long as the land remains under the administrative jurisdiction of the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 4 #f4 ,expansion of prohibition against interment or memorialization in the ,national ,cemetery ,administration or ,arlington ,national ,cemetery of persons committing certain crimes 7a7 ,in general ,section #bdaa of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in the section heading-- 7,a7 by inserting certain before ,federal2 and 7,b7 by striking capital2 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#d7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #afija et seq472 and inserting 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq472 and2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting or to a period of #ii years or more after life imprisonment2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 ,a person who-- 7,a7 is found 7as provided in subsection 7c77 to have committed a ,federal or ,state crime that would cause the person to be a tier ,,iii sex offender for purposes of the ,sex ,offender ,registration and ,notification ,act 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq472 but 7,b7 has not been convicted of such crime by reason of such person not being available for trial due to death or flight to avoid prosecution4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7c71 by striking subsection 7b77#c7 and inserting paragraph 7#c7 or 7#e7 of subsection 7b72 7#d7 in subsection 7d77#b77;,a77ii71 by striking or a ,state capital crime and inserting 1 a ,state capital crime1 or a ,federal or ,state crime that would cause the person to be a tier ,,iii sex offender for purposes of the ,sex ,offender ,registration and ,notification ,act 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq4712 and 7#e7 in subsection 7e77#a77;,b71 by striking or a ,state capital crime and inserting 1 a ,state capital crime1 or a ,federal or ,state crime that would cause the person to be a tier ,,iii sex offender for purposes of the ,sex ,offender ,registration and ,notification ,act 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq4714 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #bd of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section #bdaa and inserting the following new item3 #bdaa4 ,prohibition against interment or memorialization in the ,national ,cemetery ,administration or ,arlington ,national ,cemetery of persons committing certain ,federal or ,state crimes4 4