WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced legislation to improve access to specialized training that would ensure Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant-funded cemeteries meet and maintain the National Cemetery Administration’s (NCA) National Shrine Commitment. 

The NCA sets standards for maintaining VA national cemeteries. Although state and tribal cemeteries are held to the same benchmarks and measures, they often fall short of meeting the requirements due to a lack of adequate and appropriate training. While the NCA offers training to state VA cemetery employees at no cost to the state, the VA does not currently cover travel costs for the training of these individuals.The cost of travel prevents some organizations from sending representatives to learn the proper procedures.

This legislation simply adds travel for training as an allowable expense to already existing grant programs established for the maintenance and operation of state veteran cemeteries.       MORE