[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23437]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE GROUND-BREAKING OF THE GREAT LAKES NATIONAL CEMETERY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
groundbreaking of the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. 
The Great Lakes National Cemetery will serve as Michigan's second 
national cemetery and serve the needs of the nearly 460,000 veterans 
living within 75 miles of Oakland County, Michigan.
  In 1987, the Detroit region was one of ten areas identified by the 
Veterans Administration as having a large veteran population not served 
by either a national or state veterans cemetery within a reasonable 
distance. The new 544 acre Great Lakes National Cemetery will meet the 
needs of Michigan's finest men and women for the next fifty years.
  Mr. Speaker, every American that wears the uniform deserves a final 
resting place that honors and remembers their service to America. 
However, the families of these veterans should not be required to 
travel great distances to pay their respect to their loved ones. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service the Great Lakes 
National Cemetery will bring to the Veterans and their families in 
Southeast Michigan.

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