S.Amdt. 1670

SA 1670. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1390, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for the defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 435, between lines 14 and 15, insert the following:

SEC. 1083. PAYMENT BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF PLOT ALLOWANCE FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF CERTAIN VETERANS WHO ARE BURIED IN STATE CEMETERIES.

(a) Plot Allowance.--Section 2303 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(c)(1) In the case of an individual described in paragraph (2) who is buried in a cemetery that is owned by a State or by an agency or political subdivision of a State, the Secretary shall pay to such State, agency, or political subdivision the sum of $300 as a plot or interment allowance for such individual.

“(2) An individual described in this paragraph is a spouse, surviving spouse (which for purposes of this chapter includes a surviving spouse who had a subsequent remarriage), minor child (which for purposes of this chapter includes a child under 21 years of age, or under 23 years of age if pursuing a course of instruction at an approved educational institution), or, in the discretion of the Secretary, unmarried adult child of any of person described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (7) of section 2402 of this title.”.

(b) Effective Date.--Subsection (c) of section 2303 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to an individual who dies on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.