Delgado Urges Support for Bipartisan Veteran Cemetery Legislation Before House Veterans' Affairs Committee

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) testified before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs during their legislative hearing. Rep. Delgado's testimony focused on his Fairness for Local Veteran Cemeteries Act, bipartisan legislation authorizing the VA to issue grants to counties for the establishment, expansion, and improvement of veterans' cemeteries. A link to the video and full text of Rep. Delgado's remarks can be found below.

"Good afternoon everyone, it is nice to be with you all today. I want to thank the Chairwoman for the invitation, as well as Ranking Member Bost. It is a real pleasure to speak with you all today about my bipartisan bill, the Fairness for Local Veteran Cemeteries Act. I introduced this bill alongside Reps. Don Young, Elise Stefanik and Brian Mast. Our bill represents a critical element of honoring the life and service of our nation's veterans. It is an easy, bipartisan fix that makes an overdue correction to allow our localities to honor our nation's veterans in their final resting place.

"First, the background: at the beginning of my time in office, I established four advisory committees on priorities important to NY-19 constituents: veterans, ag, small business, and health care. The idea behind this bill came to me during one of my Veterans Advisory Committee meetings. Captain Steve Massee, who, at the time, was serving as Director of the Ulster County Veterans Service Agency highlighted a technical error in our law that prevents Ulster County and other counties across New York from accessing much-needed federal funding for its veteran cemeteries.

"As the law is written, only state-run veteran cemeteries are eligible for the National Cemetery Administration's Veteran Cemetery Grants Program. This prohibition cripples counties in states like New York that do not have state-operated veterans' cemeteries, but rather county-operated facilities. Other states affected include Florida, Alaska, and Oregon, where veteran cemeteries are operated by the counties rather than states.

"The Fairness for Local Veteran Cemeteries Act is simple: this bill will ensure counties and localities can access these funds to help establish, improve or expand veterans' cemeteries. This way, the Ulster County Veterans Cemetery and countless other cemeteries like it can maintain these spaces and allow us to honor our nation's heroes.

"Our local governments across the country are already facing enormous government shortfalls. This simple language change would help remove another budgeting burden from counties and local governments that are already under strain.

"Our upstate veterans, and veterans across our country answered the call to serve and it is our solemn duty to care for and support them for years to come. We must ensure veterans burial needs are met. I urge the committee to join me in supporting this critical legislation and I yield back the balance of my time."

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