Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) today sent a letter to William Tuerk, the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, urging for full funding of the Fort Riley, Kansas, military cemetery project.
Below is full text of the letter.
“We write regarding the Fort Riley, Kansas, cemetery project and to express our strong support for its full funding in the first quarter of 2008.
“As of September 11, 2007, the Fort Riley post cemetery has only two burial spaces left. Two funerals are scheduled, one for a soldier killed in Iraq. Thereafter, the post cannot conduct new funerals and can only carry out burials for spouses in reserved side-by-side plots. While a new cemetery would not be completed in time to alleviate this situation immediately, it is vitally important for our military members and their families to see progress on this issue. We truly owe our military members a debt of gratitude and the least we can do is provide them with an honorable burial ground.
“Over the past eight years, we have worked closely with the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs (KCVA) to secure funding for a new cemetery adjacent to the existing location. Early this summer, the KCVA received word that the Fort Riley project would likely be funded in FY 2007 and that they were moved ahead of Texas, which had a cost estimate above available funds. On September 7, 2007, the KCVA was informed that Texas had now moved ahead of Kansas but was assured that Kansas would be the first priority for state veterans’ cemetery construction in FY 2008. We urge you to keep Kansas in its current funding position and provide the necessary funds to Kansas in the first quarter of 2008.
“We appreciate your strong support of our nation’s veterans and respectfully ask that you give our request your utmost consideration. As members of the Kansas Congressional delegation, we look forward to working with you on this endeavor.”
Senator Roberts is a former Marine and worked to get the land transferred from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the State of Kansas for the cemetery in the 2001 National Defense Authorization bill. Senator Brownback is a member of the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
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Below is full text of the letter.
“We write regarding the Fort Riley, Kansas, cemetery project and to express our strong support for its full funding in the first quarter of 2008.
“As of September 11, 2007, the Fort Riley post cemetery has only two burial spaces left. Two funerals are scheduled, one for a soldier killed in Iraq. Thereafter, the post cannot conduct new funerals and can only carry out burials for spouses in reserved side-by-side plots. While a new cemetery would not be completed in time to alleviate this situation immediately, it is vitally important for our military members and their families to see progress on this issue. We truly owe our military members a debt of gratitude and the least we can do is provide them with an honorable burial ground.
“Over the past eight years, we have worked closely with the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs (KCVA) to secure funding for a new cemetery adjacent to the existing location. Early this summer, the KCVA received word that the Fort Riley project would likely be funded in FY 2007 and that they were moved ahead of Texas, which had a cost estimate above available funds. On September 7, 2007, the KCVA was informed that Texas had now moved ahead of Kansas but was assured that Kansas would be the first priority for state veterans’ cemetery construction in FY 2008. We urge you to keep Kansas in its current funding position and provide the necessary funds to Kansas in the first quarter of 2008.
“We appreciate your strong support of our nation’s veterans and respectfully ask that you give our request your utmost consideration. As members of the Kansas Congressional delegation, we look forward to working with you on this endeavor.”
Senator Roberts is a former Marine and worked to get the land transferred from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the State of Kansas for the cemetery in the 2001 National Defense Authorization bill. Senator Brownback is a member of the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
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