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State veterans homes and cemetery programs need boost, state directors tell Congress
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Summary
The National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs told lawmakers that federal grants for state veterans homes and cemetery expansions are underfunded and recommended large increases to meet demand for nursing‑level care and burial options.
State veterans affairs directors told a joint congressional hearing that federal grant programs for state veterans homes and veterans cemeteries are underfunded and face growing demand as the veteran population ages.
"The State Veterans Home program provides more than half of the nation’s long‑term care for veterans," Timothy Shepherd, president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDAVA), told the committees. He said 81 priority projects in the State Veterans Home Construction Program require roughly $1.3 billion in federal match funding to proceed, and recommended raising annual funding from the proposed $147 million to at least $650 million to address the backlog.
Cemetery grants also need more resources, Shepherd said: the FY2025 request for veterans cemetery grants is $60 million but NASDAVA said priority needs exceed $120 million to fund priority projects and new state or tribal cemetery establishments. The witnesses said federal per‑diem rates for operational support also need adjustment to reflect higher staffing and pharmaceutical costs.
Why it matters: state homes and grant cemeteries provide regional long‑term care and burial options — services which witnesses said cannot be supplied only by VA medical centers or national cemeteries. Directors asked for predictable federal appropriations, faster grant awards and updated per‑diem rates to stabilize operations and expand capacity in rural and aging communities.
Ending: Shepherd urged Congress to consider larger appropriations for the State Veterans Home Construction program and veterans cemetery grants in FY 2026 appropriations, citing pending projects and population needs.
