[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 18, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                VETERANS CEMETERY GRANTS IMPROVEMENT ACT

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                  HON. GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN

                    of the northern mariana islands

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 18, 2019

  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Veterans Cemetery 
Grants Improvement Act, which helps get important operations and 
maintenance funding to locally-run veterans cemeteries nationwide 
faster by increasing the amount of grant funds the Department of 
Veterans Affairs can award for this purpose each year from $5 million 
to $10 million.
  Our nation's veterans and their families have sacrificed so much to 
ensure that our country remains safe and free. While we may never fully 
repay these men and women for their sacrifices, we must do more to 
ensure their final resting place, whether in a national cemetery or a 
locally-run veterans cemetery like the CNMI Veterans Cemetery on 
Saipan, is operated and maintained with the high standards their 
families expect and deserve. As more veterans choose to be buried 
closer to home, more states, territories and tribal governments have 
applied for funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to help 
cover the increasing costs of operating and maintaining their own 
veterans cemeteries. While the list of pending applications grows, the 
amount of grants the Department can award each year by law has not.
  Under current law, no more than $5 million in operations and 
maintenance grants can be awarded per year. The Veterans Cemetery 
Grants Improvement Act updates the $5 million cap to $10 million so 
more cemeteries can receive the funding they need to keep up with the 
rising cost of maintaining them. Increasing the cap to $10 million is 
critical as the need for operations and maintenance grant funding grows 
consistent with the growth of new and expanded cemeteries.
  The Veterans Cemetery Grants Improvement Act will help expedite 
federal support for the over one hundred veteran cemeteries across our 
country operated by states, tribal nations and territories including my 
district, the Northern Mariana Islands.
  The Act has the endorsement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and 
American Legion.
  The gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Steil, is an original cosponsor of 
the bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

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