Sponsors (2)
The bill increases transparency and oversight of national cemetery operations and grants by requiring public, cemetery-level reporting, improving planning and accountability, but it raises VA administrative costs, privacy/security concerns for some families, and reporting burdens for smaller grant recipients.
Veterans and their families will have ready online access to annual, cemetery-level burial counts and available burial options, improving transparency and helping families plan end-of-life arrangements.
State, county, and tribal cemetery operators will see which entities receive federal cemetery grants, how much, and for what purposes, improving coordination and accountability in cemetery projects.
Taxpayers and veterans benefit from stronger congressional oversight because regular, detailed reporting to Congress supports more informed legislative and budgeting decisions for the National Cemetery Administration.
Veterans and taxpayers may bear higher administrative costs because preparing and publishing detailed annual reports will impose VA staff time and resources that could otherwise support cemetery services.
Veterans and families could face privacy and security concerns if detailed public disclosures identify cemetery locations or counts of unclaimed remains, potentially exposing sensitive information about individuals or sites.
State, local, and tribal grant recipients—especially smaller entities—may face increased scrutiny and administrative burden if public reports highlight limited use of funds or slow project progress.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the VA to publish an annual, public report on National Cemetery Administration activities, interment counts, grants, projects, and customer satisfaction.
Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress an annual report on the National Cemetery Administration, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 27, 2026 by Ryan Mackenzie · Last progress January 27, 2026
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to produce and publish an annual, public report on National Cemetery Administration activities. The report must be delivered to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees starting within one year of enactment and every year after, and must include detailed counts (interments by cemetery and eligibility category, casketed vs. cremated, unclaimed remains, memorial items), customer satisfaction results, maps, descriptions of burial options, grant details for State/county/tribal veterans’ cemeteries, and summaries of construction projects. Reports must be posted on a VA public website in digital form.