S.Amdt. 680

SA 680. Mr. BOOKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for 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:
At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

SEC. 1083. PLOT AND INTERMENT ALLOWANCES PAID BY THE
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR SPOUSES AND
CHILDREN OF VETERANS WHO ARE BURIED IN STATE
CEMETERIES.

(a) In General.--Section 2303 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new
subsection (e):
``(e)(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 $525 (as increased from time to time
under paragraph (3)) 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
subsection includes a surviving spouse who had a subsequent
remarriage), minor child (which for purposes of this
subsection 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 individual
described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), or (7) of section
2402 of this title.
``(3) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall
provide a percentage increase (rounded to the nearest dollar)
in the amount payable under paragraph (1) equal to the
percentage by which--
``(A) the Consumer Price Index (all items, United States
city average) for the 12-month period ending on the June 30
preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the
increase is made, exceeds
``(B) the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period
preceding the 12-month period described in subparagraph
(A).''.
(b) Effective Date and Applicability.--The amendments made
by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act and apply with respect to deaths
occurring after that date.
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