Sponsors (2)
The bill would give Hawai‘i veterans much better local access to national cemetery burial benefits and bring local construction economic activity, but it requires substantial federal spending, careful coordination to avoid duplication, and faces long timelines and site-related costs and impacts that delay or raise the price of those benefits.
Veterans in Hawai‘i (and their families) will have a nearby national cemetery, improving access to burial honors, family visitation, and reducing travel time and out-of-pocket travel costs.
The new cemetery would help the National Cemetery Administration meet its coverage target (95% of eligible beneficiaries within 75 miles), improving equitable access to burial benefits across the Pacific region.
Construction and multi-year development are likely to create local jobs and investment in infrastructure during the build-out period.
Taxpayers could face substantial federal costs to site, build, and maintain a new national cemetery in Hawai‘i, which may increase federal spending or require reallocation of VA funds.
The development timeline (potentially greater than eight years) and additional delays from environmental review mean many veterans will not benefit for many years.
Site acquisition and construction could restrict land uses or affect local development, imposing costs or limitations on nearby communities and homeowners.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Introduced December 23, 2025 by Ed Case · Last progress December 23, 2025
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a new national cemetery in the State of Hawai‘i, carrying out site selection, environmental review (NEPA), land acquisition, design, and construction. The Secretary must prioritize locations near population centers with good transportation access, minimize environmental impacts, consult state and veterans stakeholders, and report progress to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on specific timelines until the cemetery is operational.