HOUSE PASSES LAMB BILL TO ESTABLISH GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT VETERANS LEGACY PROGRAM

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the House passed H.R. 2385, a bipartisan bill authored by Representatives Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) to provide the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with the authority to establish a grant program to conduct cemetery research and produce outreach materials for the Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), an educational initiative from the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

The VLP’s mission is to memorialize our nation's veterans interred in NCA cemeteries through partnerships with institutions of higher learning.  The program partners with these institutions to research stories to ensure veterans contributions to their country as servicemembers and live on through educational experiences.

H.R. 2385 changes the VLP to a system of grants rather than government contracts to make the process more user-friendly to universities.  The simplification of the funding structure will also allow researchers to focus on memorializing veterans and sharing their stories for generations to come.

“Southwestern Pennsylvania is home to the National Cemetery for the Alleghenies, and we already have local schools signed up and ready to research every veteran that is buried there.  This is a great program and we are looking to do everything we can to simplify the process to make it easier to participate and honor the lives and sacrifices of our service members,” said Lamb.

“I am proud to see the establishment of a grant program for the VLP with the passage of H.R. 2385.  Bucks County is home to Washington Crossing National Cemetery, I hope to see our schools take advantage of this program,” said Fitzpatrick.  “Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country, and it is incredibly important that their stories live on for generations to come.”

Click here to learn more information about H.R. 2385 and the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program.

Click here to see Rep. Lamb's speech on the House floor about the Veterans Legacy Program.

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