Washington, D.C. – After voting to confirm him to the position, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto sent a letter to the Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Sam Brown pressing him for a status update on the Elko National Cemetery’s construction timeline. Cortez Masto was instrumental in securing the initial VA approval to build the Elko cemetery.
Before being approved in 2022, Elko had been under consideration for a veterans cemetery since 2011. The closest veterans cemeteries for regional veterans and their families are currently over 200 miles away – in either Fernley or Salt Lake City. Senator Cortez Masto’s efforts helped speed up the process and secured a final commitment from the VA to begin construction on the Elko site.
“I am writing to request an update on the status of the Elko National Cemetery,” Cortez Masto wrote. “As you know, veterans in the Elko region currently face long travel times to access burial and memorial services, with no national or state veterans’ cemeteries in the region. The Elko cemetery project is a crucial step toward closing that gap, and I appreciate the VA’s continued partnership in bringing it to completion.”
“After hearing directly from Elko veterans, I introduced the Elko National Cemetery Act in March 2020 and again in 2021, with Senator Rosen’s support, to authorize the necessary land transfer from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),” she continued. “In September 2020, I helped secure an agreement from the VA to acquire 15 acres for the cemetery from the city of Elko, with the finalized sale completed in August 2021.”
“This cemetery represents more than just a construction project,” the Senator concluded. “It is a lasting commitment to honor the lives and service of veterans in Elko and rural Nevada. I believe that transparency, coordination, and continued communication with the local community are essential as the project enters its next phase.”
In the letter, Cortez Masto asked the Trump Administration to provide updates on the timeline for completion of the project, any funding gaps or permitting issues, and current engagement with local veterans and stakeholders. She also reiterated that she looks forward to visiting the completed site.
The full letter can be found here.
Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for our service members, veterans, and their families. She worked across the aisle to get legislation helping veterans exposed to Agent Orange and expanding benefits for women veterans signed into law. The senator sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Collins demanding he provide answers on the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada, and how those terminations would impact services to Nevada veterans.
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