<P> Several options have been considered to deal with the damage . Officials at Arlington National Cemetery determined that proper repair can return the Tomb Monument to an acceptable appearance . However, because the cracks will continue to lengthen and widen, continuous grouting, regrouting, touch - up, monitoring, and maintenance would be required . Therefore, a report commissioned by Arlington National Cemetery and published in June 2006 confirmed the Cemetery's conclusion that "replacement of the three pieces of the Tomb Monument is the preferred alternative". A final decision was scheduled to be made on September 30, 2007 . </P> <P> The National Trust for Historic Preservation objects to the plan to replace the authentic Tomb Monument . The Trust expressed concern that Arlington National Cemetery seeks to replace the existing monument with marble from the original quarry, which experts agree is likely eventually to crack . </P> <P> The Trust has observed that the Cemetery's own 1990 report recommended that the monument be repaired and that the Cemetery, in fact, commissioned Oehrlein Architects to repair the stone . In 2007, Mary Oehrlein informed Congressional staff members that: "The existing monument can easily be repaired, as was done 17 years ago, using conventional conservation methods to re-grout the cracks . Once repaired, the fault lines would be virtually invisible from the public viewing areas ." </P> <P> On September 26, 2007, U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka announced that an amendment crafted together with Senator Jim Webb will be added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 1585) that would require a report on the plans of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to replace the monument at the Tomb of the Unknowns . The secretaries would be required to advise Congress on the current efforts to maintain and preserve the monument . Additionally, they would have to provide an assessment on the feasibility and advisability of repairing rather than replacing the Tomb Monument . Finally, if the secretaries choose replacement, they would have to report those plans and detail how they intend to dispose of the current monument . Once the report is provided, the secretaries are prevented from taking action to replace the monument for at least 180 days . The Akaka - Webb amendment was included in the bill by unanimous consent of the Senate . An amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill authorized a review of the monument's condition . The bill also authorized repair, but not replacement, of the monument . Final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 (H.R. 4986) was signed by President Bush on January 28, 2008 . </P>

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