Sponsors (2)
The bill would provide Hawai‘i veterans and their families much easier, local access to national cemetery burials and greater transparency in site selection, at the cost of substantial federal spending, potential duplication with state facilities, land acquisition challenges, and likely multi-year development delays.
Veterans in Hawai‘i and their eligible family members will gain local in-ground burial and memorial options, meaning much shorter travel, lower out-of-pocket costs, and less logistical and emotional burden when arranging interments.
The new cemetery would help the VA meet its goal of having 95% of veterans within 75 miles of a national, State, or Tribal cemetery, improving geographic access to federally provided burial benefits.
Consultation with the Governor and local veterans organizations increases local input on site selection, improving site suitability and likely community acceptance of the project.
Taxpayers will incur federal construction and ongoing operating costs for a new national cemetery, which could increase short-term spending and potentially divert funds from other VA priorities or services.
Site development and required environmental reviews (including NEPA) can significantly delay availability—potentially eight years or more—and require prolonged project management, delaying benefits to veterans and families.
Selecting and acquiring land near population centers to maximize accessibility may raise acquisition costs, limit available sites, and could require displacement of existing uses or homeowners.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the VA to establish and construct a new national cemetery in Hawai‘i, prioritize accessible low-impact sites, consult stakeholders, and report progress annually until it opens.
Introduced December 23, 2025 by Ed Case · Last progress December 23, 2025
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and construct a new national cemetery in the State of Hawai‘i, prioritizing sites near population centers, with good transportation access and minimal environmental impact. The VA must follow federal environmental law, consult state and local stakeholders during site selection, identify candidate sites within one year, and provide progress reports annually until the cemetery opens.