An Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit interment or memorialization in certain cemeteries of persons committing Federal or State capital crimes.
Public Law 105-116 · S. 923 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 21, 1997 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Cosponsors (7): Sen. Robert Torricelli, Sen. Don Nickles,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Prohibits the appropriate Federal official from interring or memorializing in Arlington National Cemetery or in a cemetery of the National Cemetery System any person who: (1) has been convicted of a Federal or State capital crime for which the person was sentenced to death or life imprisonment; or (2) is found to have committed such a crime but who has not been convicted due to unavailability for trial because of death or flight to avoid prosecution. Provides that such prohibition shall not apply unless the appropriate Federal official receives written notice of such a conviction or finding from the Attorney General or appropriate State official before approving the application for interment or memorialization.
Conditions a State's receipt of certain Federal grants for establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans' cemetery on a prohibition against the interment or memorialization of such individuals at such cemetery subject to the receipt of such a notice.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Nov 21, 1997Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-116.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 13, 1997PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 10, 1997Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 31, 1997FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Stump asked unanimous consent to discharge the Union Calendar and consider.
- Oct 9, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Sep 11, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jul 9, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 19, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 18, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 98-0. Record Vote No: 106.Senate roll call 106
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Jun 17, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.