Nominee Sam Brown emphasizes veterans-first focus for National Cemetery Administration
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Summary
Captain Sam Brown, nominated to be VA Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs, described his military service and personal connection to the VA and pledged to prioritize cemetery operations, expand burial access where needed and review contract cancellations affecting service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
WASHINGTON
Captain Sam Brown, the Trump administration's nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration (NCA), told the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs that he would place veterans and their families "at the center of everything I lead" if confirmed.
Why it matters: The NCA oversees burial and memorial services for veterans nationwide. Senators questioned how contract cancellations and proposed department-wide staffing changes could affect cemeteries, capacity and cemetery-expansion grants.
Brown summarized his background to the committee, describing his military service, combat injuries in Afghanistan and subsequent medical retirement, and said the VA has been his primary health-care provider for 13 years. He said the NCA's mission is "sacred" and that he understands its role in delivering "a dignified burial and lasting memorial." He told senators his lived experience with the VA informs his commitment to the role.
Senators asked Brown to review recently canceled VA contracts that may affect service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs). Brown, a former SDVOSB owner who said he provided critical services to the VA, said he does not yet know the details of each canceled contract and committed to review them and report back to the committee.
Capacity and grants: Senators from Indiana and Connecticut raised concerns about state veteran cemetery capacity. Brown acknowledged a backlog of about 60 expansion requests for state and national cemetery projects and said he would work with Congress on funding and prioritization if confirmed. He said local land-use and jurisdictional issues sometimes constrain expansion and that NCA would seek congressional appropriations to address the backlog.
Rural and tribal access: Senator Lisa Murkowski raised the subject of small, remote communities in Alaska and asked whether smaller plots or alternative grant structures could honor veterans in places with no nearby national cemetery. Brown said he would follow up with the senator to learn more about Alaska native communities and to explore options.
Nominee'commitments: Brown pledged to review SDVOSB impacts, to advocate for funding for cemetery expansions in coordination with Congress, and to protect the NCA mission from actions that could disrupt burials and memorial operations.