H.R. 6921

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6921 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6921

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a new 
national cemetery in the State of Hawai'i, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 23, 2025

Mr. Case (for himself and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a new 
national cemetery in the State of Hawai'i, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Hawai`i National Cemetery Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Veterans, members of the Armed Forces, spouses, and 
dependents may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery 
pursuant to regulations prescribed under section 2402 of title 
38, United States Code.
(2) According to the National Cemetery Administration 
Strategic Plan and Performance Goals, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs seeks to ensure that 95 percent of veterans live within 
75 miles of a national, State, or Tribal veterans cemetery.
(3) The National Cemetery Administration's Long Range Plan, 
as detailed in the budget submission of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, sets goals that seek to 
improve burial benefits, including the following:
(A) Veterans and eligible family members will have 
increased access to burial benefits.
(B) More veterans and eligible family members will 
use such burial and memorial benefits.
(C) Veterans will be memorialized through enhanced 
tributes befitting their service and sacrifice to the 
Nation.
(D) Stakeholders will place greater trust in the 
National Cemetery Administration based on enhanced 
accountability.
(E) Stakeholders will be served more efficiently 
and effectively by internal capacity of the National 
Cemetery Administration.
(4) The goals described in paragraph (3) do not account for 
veterans in Hawai`i who prefer to be buried in a national 
cemetery even if other options exist. Hawai`i's only national 
cemetery, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, has 
been essentially closed to casketed burials since 1991 and will 
stop accepting cremated remains by 2036. Should a veteran in 
Hawai`i prefer an inground burial in a national cemetery, they 
are forced to select a cemetery at least 2,500 miles away. This 
distance can create significant financial and logistical 
burdens compared to veterans in the continental United States, 
as air travel that is often cost-prohibitive is required for 
casket transportation and visitation.
(5) To maintain equitable access to burial benefits in a 
national cemetery for veterans residing in Hawai`i, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs must initiate the construction of 
a new national cemetery in Hawai`i to supplement the remaining 
columbarium space at the National Memorial Cemetery of the 
Pacific. The work should begin immediately, as developing a new 
national cemetery must pass through six phases and such a 
cemetery can take more than eight years to construct.
(6) While Hawai`i is home to many great State Veterans 
Cemeteries, establishment of a new national cemetery would 
align with the National Cemetery Administration's access goals 
and increase options for veterans and other beneficiaries in 
the Pacific.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW NATIONAL CEMETERY IN THE STATE OF HAWAI`I.

(a) Establishment.--In accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, 
United States Code, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a new national cemetery in the State of Hawai`i.
(b) Site Selection.--In selecting a location for the national 
cemetery described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
(1) give priority to a location that--
(A) is near population centers;
(B) is accessible by existing modes of 
transportation; and
(C) minimizes environmental impact; and
(2) consult with--
(A) the Governor of Hawai`i;
(B) local representatives of veterans service 
organizations; and
(C) other entities the Secretary determines 
appropriate.
(c) Reports.--
(1) Potential sites.--Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
identifying sites that the Secretary determines appropriate for 
the national cemetery described in subsection (a).
(2) Progress reports.--Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter 
until the national cemetery described in subsection (a) is 
operational, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report regarding the establishment 
of such national cemetery, including progress regarding the 
following elements:
(A) Site selection.
(B) Environmental impact assessment.
(C) Land acquisition.
(D) Master planning and design development.
(E) Preparation of construction documents.
(F) Award of construction contracts.
(G) Completion of construction.
(H) Beginning of operations.
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives.
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