[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              VETERANS NATIONAL CEMETERY IN NORTH FLORIDA

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the Veterans 
Administration cemetery expansion is a top priority for the President 
next year. Florida has our Nation's second largest veterans' population 
in the United States and one of its oldest. In fact, it is number one.
  Nearly 325,000 veterans call home somewhere in the Jacksonville City 
vicinity, and this is the location of 3 congressional districts, mine, 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) and the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Crenshaw), as well as in nearby southern Georgia. Yet the closest 
VA cemetery is at least a 3-hour drive from Jacksonville. The next 
closest in proximity lies in Marietta, Georgia, which is just north of 
Atlanta.
  A new national VA cemetery in the metropolitan Jacksonville area or 
nearby Clay County would answer the unmet need for north Floridians and 
southern Georgians.
  My colleagues may ask why should I support a cemetery in Florida. 
Well, from Michigan and New York, the Midwest and elsewhere, there is a 
high likelihood that their constituents are contemplating retiring in 
north Florida. We welcome them and I hope my colleagues will sign on to 
my bill H.R. 1205.
  We welcome your veteran constituents to call north Florida home. I 
hope you will consider cosponsoring my bill, H.R. 1205, and help us to 
provide the dignified, hallowed grounds our veterans deserve.

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