IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO STATES RELATING TO THE INTERMENT OF VETERANS IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO STATES RELATING TO THE INTERMENT OF VETERANS IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.(a) Repeal of Time Limitation for State Filing for Reimbursement for Interment Costs.—(1) In general.—The second sentence of section 3.1604(d)(2) of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, shall have no further force or effect as it pertains to unclaimed remains of a deceased veteran.(2) Retroactive application.—Paragraph (1) shall take effect as of October 1, 2006 and apply with respect to interments and inurnments occurring on or after that date.(b) Grants for Operation and Maintenance of State Veterans’ Cemeteries.—(1) In general.—Subsection (a) of section 2408 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:“(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may make a grant to any State for the following purposes:“(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans’ cemetery owned by the State.“(B) Operating and maintaining such a cemetery.“(2) A grant under paragraph (1) may be made only upon submission of an application to the Secretary in such form and manner, and containing such information, as the Secretary may require.”.(2) Limitation on amounts awarded.—Subsection (e) of such section is amended—(A) by inserting “(1)” before “Amounts”; and(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:“(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of grants awarded under this section for the purposes specified in subsection (a)(1)(B) may not exceed $5,000,000.”.121 STAT. 1833(3) Conforming amendments.—Such section is further amended—(A) in subsection (b)—(i) by striking “Grants under this section” and inserting “A grant under this section for a purpose described in subsection (a)(1)(A)”; and(ii) by striking “a grant under this section” each place it appears and inserting “such a grant”;(B) in subsection (d), by striking “to assist such State in establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans’ cemetery”; and(C) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting “, or in operating and maintaining such cemeteries,” after “veterans’ cemeteries”.(4) Regulations.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made by this subsection.