Sen. Ossoff Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Veterans’ Cemetery in Augusta

Augusta, Ga. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff released the following statement celebrating the groundbreaking of the new veterans' cemetery in Augusta.

"Today, I join all in Augusta and the CSRA in celebrating the official groundbreaking of the new veterans' cemetery in Augusta.

"I congratulate Commissioner Don Clark, former Mayor Bob Young, and all who have worked so hard for decades to make today a reality.

"As the top Democrat on the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, I worked alongside my Republican and Democratic colleagues to increase funding for the construction and maintenance of VA cemeteries nationwide, helping unlock enough Federal funding to make this historic moment possible for our veterans and their families.

"Georgia's veterans and their families have longed deserve access to the benefits a VA cemetery in Augusta would provide, and today we are one step closer to that goal.

"I will continue working in the Senate to support Georgia's veterans and their families, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude."

Last July, as the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Sen. Ossoff helped add $150 million in funding into in the bipartisan funding bill for Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries, a significant increase over the President's request - enough of a funding increase to allow funding for the new Augusta cemetery.

Last November, Sen. Ossoff urged U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to ensure that the increased funding for the construction of veterans' cemeteries was quickly used to build the new veterans cemetery in Augusta.

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