2011 US Code
Title 38 - Veterans’ Benefits
Part II - GENERAL BENEFITS (§§ 1101 - 2413)
Chapter 24 - NATIONAL CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS (§§ 2400 - 2413)
Section 2409 - Memorial areas in Arlington National Cemetery

(a) The Secretary of the Army may set aside, when available, a suitable area or areas in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, to honor the memory of members of the Armed Forces and veterans—

(1) who are missing in action;

(2) whose remains have not been recovered or identified;

(3) whose remains were buried at sea, whether by the member's or veteran's own choice or otherwise;

(4) whose remains were donated to science; or

(5) whose remains were cremated and whose ashes were scattered without interment of any portion of the ashes.

(b) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army, appropriate memorials or markers may be erected in Arlington National Cemetery to honor the memory of those individuals, or group of individuals, referred to in subsection (a) of this section.

(Added Pub. L. 99–576, title IV, §413(a), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3284, §1009; amended Pub. L. 101–237, title III, §313(b)(5), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2077; renumbered §2409, Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)

1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 1009 of this title as this section.

1989—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–237 inserted “of the Army” after “Secretary”.

Pub. L. 108–11, title III, Apr. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 603, provided that:

“This title may be cited as the ‘Columbia Orbiter Memorial Act’.

“(a) Construction Required.—The Secretary of the Army shall, in consultation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, construct at an appropriate place in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, a memorial marker honoring the seven members of the crew of the Columbia Orbiter who died on February 1, 2003, over the State of Texas during the landing of space shuttle mission STS–107.

“(b) Availability of Funds.—Of the amount appropriated or otherwise made available by title II of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 107–248) under the heading ‘Operation and Maintenance, Army’ [116 Stat. 1521], $500,000 shall be available for the construction of the memorial marker required by subsection (a).

“(a) Authority To Accept Donations.—The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may accept gifts and donations of services, money, and property (including personal, tangible, or intangible property) for the purpose of an appropriate memorial or monument to the seven members of the crew of the Columbia Orbiter who died on February 1, 2003, over the State of Texas during the landing of space shuttle mission STS–107, whether such memorial or monument is constructed by the Administrator or is the memorial marker required by section 302.

“(b) Transfer.—(1) The Administrator may transfer to the Secretary of the Army any services, money, or property accepted by the Administrator under subsection (a) for the purpose of the construction of the memorial marker required by section 302.

“(2) Any moneys transferred to the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall be merged with amounts in the account referred to in subsection (b) of section 302, and shall be available for the purpose referred to in that subsection.

“(c) Expiration of Authority.—The authority of the Administrator to accept gifts and donations under subsection (a) shall expire 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 16, 2003].”

Pub. L. 107–330, title II, §204, Dec. 6, 2002, 116 Stat. 2824, provided that: “The Secretary of the Army is authorized to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memorial marker honoring veterans who fought in the battle in the European theater of operations during World War II known as the Battle of the Bulge.”