Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4948 - Restoration, Operation, and Maintenance of the Pacific War Memorial

(House)
(Montgomery (D) Mississippi and 37 others)

The Administration has no objection to the provisions of H.R. 4948 relating to the restoration, operation, and maintenance of the Pacific War Memorial and other historical and memorial sites on Corregidor in the Philippines. However, the Administration opposes enactment of the bill because of its provisions dealing with the Veterans Administration's (VA) national cemeteries program. Specifically:

—    Funding for an Environmental Impact Statement for a new veterans cemetery in the Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas area is unnecessary. The veterans in this area are presently served by the VA regional cemetery for Federal Region VI (which includes Texas). This regional cemetery will have the capacity to inter veterans and their dependents at least through the year 2030. Therefore, it is unnecessary and premature to begin making plans for another national cemetery in this Federal Region at this time.

—    Partial funding for the construction of an access road to the Merced County, California National Cemetery is unwarranted. Merced County and the State of California should be responsible for bearing the full cost of this proposed road.