,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #edee  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #i1  
#bjbd,mr4 ,manchin introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
require the ,secretary of ,veterans     
,affairs to carry out a program for the 
construction and renovation of committal
 shelters at ,state-owned veterans'     
cemeteries1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,hershel #8,woody' ,williams ,state
 ,committal ,shelter ,act of #bjbd4  #b4
 ,committal structures at ,state-owned  
veterans' cemeteries  7a7 ,in general   
,subject to the availability of         
appropriations1 the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs shall carry out a    
program for the construction or         
renovation of committal shelters at     
,state-owned veterans' cemeteries to    
ensure attendees of burial services at  
such cemeteries are protected from      

inclement weather 7in this section      
referred to as the program74  7b7       
,solicitation of applications ,not later
 than #ahj days after the date of the   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
shall solicit applications from ,states 
for participation in the program4  7c7  
,selection of cemeteries  7#a7 ,in      
general ,not later than one year after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary shall select1 on a       
competitive basis1 three ,state-owned   
veterans' cemeteries for participation  
in the program4  7#b7 ,criteria  7,a7   
,in general ,each cemetery selected by  
the ,secretary for participation in the 
program shall be located in an area with
 drastic variation in annual temperature
 and weather patterns4  7,b7 ,appalachia
 ,one cemetery selected by the          
,secretary for participation in the     
program shall be located in a ,state in 
which each county of that ,state is     
served by the ,appalachian ,regional    
,commission4  7#c7 ,priority  7,a7 ,in  

general ,in selecting cemeteries for    
participation in the program1 the       
,secretary shall prioritize cemeteries  
based on relative demonstrated need1 as 
determined by the ,secretary4  7,b7     
,considerations ,in making a            
determination under subparagraph 7,a71  
the ,secretary may consider-- 7i7 the   
number of veterans' families served by a
 cemetery2 and  7ii7 the relative       
severity of weather at a cemetery4  7d7 
,cooperative agreements ,the ,secretary 
shall carry out the program by entering 
into a cooperative agreement 7as        
described in section #fcje of title #ca1
 ,united ,states ,code7 with each       
cemetery selected for participation in  
the program4  7e7 ,committal shelters   
,at each cemetery selected for          
participation in the program1 the       
,secretary shall construct one or more  
new committal shelters1 or renovate one 
or more existing committal shelters1 so 
that each such shelter-- 7#a7 is fully  
enclosed2 and  7#b7 has heating1        

ventilation1 air conditioning1 and      
restroom services necessary for hosting 
not more than #ej individuals4  7f7     
,cost share requirement  7#a7 ,in       
general ,the share of the cost of the   
construction or renovation of a         
committal shelter under the program     
shall be as follows3 7,a7 #ej percent   
,federal funds1 subject to paragraph    
7#b74  7,b7 #ej percent funds provided  
by ,state or local governments1         
nonprofit organizations1 or private     
entities4  7#b7 ,federal maximum  7,a7  
,in general ,each cemetery participating
 in the program shall receive not more  
than #b1jjj1jjj in ,federal funds       
through the program4  7,b7 ,total       
federal maximum ,the total ,federal     
share of the cost of construction and   
renovation of all committal shelters    
under the program shall not exceed      
#e1jjj1jjj4  7g7 ,use of funds ,amounts 
obligated and expended by the ,secretary
 under the program may be used for any  
activities that support the construction

 or renovation of committal shelters at 
cemeteries participating in the program1
 including costs associated with        
compliance with laws 7including         
regulations74  7h7 ,funding  7#a7       
,derivation of funds ,amounts to carry  
out the program1 as provided in advance 
in appropriations ,acts from amounts    
specifically appropriated to carry out  
the purposes of this ,act1 may be       
derived from amounts appropriated to    
carry out section #bdjh of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code4  7#b7            
,maintenance and upkeep ,the ,federal   
,government shall not be required to    
provide any amounts for the maintenance 
or upkeep of any committal shelter after
 the termination of the cooperative     
agreement concerned4  7i7 ,regulations  
,the ,secretary shall revise regulations
 as necessary to carry out this section4