June 15, 2016
Contact: Kyle Roerink
Phone: 202-657-3219

Today Representative Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District announced a $4,973,597 Department of Veterans’ Affairs grant to pay for improvements to the Southern Nevada Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, a state-run cemetery located in Boulder City.  

The grant will fund the raising, realignment, and cleaning of 14,864 grave markers and refurbish 11.7 acres of land at the cemetery. The funds will serve more than 284,000 veterans and their families. 
Rep. Titus, ranking member on the House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, has championed expanding burial options for veterans during her time in office. 

“These federal funds will play a much-needed role in accommodating the needs of Las Vegas’ veteran population. This grant will help ensure members of our veteran community and their families have a place of solitude that befits their valuable service to our country. While this is a great first step, we must also keep working toward having a national cemetery in Las Vegas. Our veterans and their families should not have to travel great distances to grieve and honor the life of a loved one who has passed away.”

Background: 
From Las Vegas, the closest national cemetery, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Prescott National Cemetery, is located 225 miles away. The closest grant-funded cemetery, San Carlos Apache Tribe Veterans Cemetery, is 379 miles away.  Rep. Titus has called on the VA to bring more resources, including a national cemetery, to Las Vegas.