Printer Friendly Page
VA OFFERS IDEA FOR REGIONAL CEMETERY IN
COLORADO --
VA Secretary Nicholson says Pikes Peak
region cemetery should be state-run.
Story here...
http://www.gazette.com/
display.php?id=1329484&secid=1
Story below:
---------------
VA offers idea for regional cemetery
If state buys land, federal aid follows
By TOM ROEDER THE GAZETTE
A cemetery for veterans in the Pikes Peak region should be run by the
state of Colorado, not the federal government, Veterans Affairs
Secretary Jim Nicholson said Wednesday.
In Denver to open a housing project for veterans recovering from
substance abuse, Nicholson said he’s getting an earful from Colorado’s
congressional delegation about a veterans cemetery for Colorado Springs
but can’t commit his agency to the project because of federal
regulations.
“The VA has certain laws and regulations it has to deal with,” said
Nicholson, noting that under current rules a cemetery in Colorado
Springs would be too close to Fort
Logan National Cemetery in Denver.
He’s offering federal help to build a state cemetery here.
“We the VA will pay for the development of the entire cemetery if the
state will come up with the land,” Nicholson said in a telephone
interview. “That may be a better alternative.”
Local cemetery advocate retired Army Col. Victor Fernandez said
Nicholson’s idea won’t work because Colorado won’t pay the cash to buy
land for the cemetery and maintain it.
Fernandez said El Paso county, with more than 73,000 veterans and 40,000
activeduty military, deserves its own place to bury veterans.
He has gained powerful allies in Sens. Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard, who
introduced a bipartisan bill Jan. 4 to build a veterans cemetery for
southeast Colorado. The bill has not been heard in committee.
Salazar spokesman Cody Wertz said the Democratic senator thinks the
region deserves its own veterans cemetery paid for by the VA.
Wertz said Salazar had lunch with Nicholson last week and after lobbying
for a cemetery, came away hopeful that it can be built if his bill
passes.
Since 2000, the agency has authorized a dozen additional cemeteries to
go with 124 others nationwide.
But whether VA will budge is unclear.
“I’m very sympathetic to the families of veterans who have to drive from
Colorado Springs to Fort Logan for a funeral,” Nicholson said. “My hands
are tied by the law and the regulations that are given to us.”
CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0240 or
tom.roeder@gazette.com
---------------
Larry Scott
Don't forget to read all of today's VA
News Flashes (click here)
Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage
