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FARGO – During a roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) on Thursday, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) participated with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matthew Quinn to discuss future development plans for a visitor’s center at the Fargo National Cemetery.
“I’m reminded how blessed we are to live where we live. Thank you to everyone who has given up hours, days, weeks, as well as valuable resources, for the purpose of honoring our veterans in such a way. We may disagree on some details as we move along, but there's no confusion everybody in this room cares deeply about this veterans’ center project,” said Cramer. “For three administrations over the course of 12 years, leaders have come and gone, but bureaucracy has remained the same. Senator Hoeven and I extend our gratitude to General Quinn, who has helped be a problem solver for us and fixed how these cemeteries across the country are managed.”
Established in 2019, the Fargo National Cemetery became one of the nation’s first rural national cemeteries and serves the burial needs of more than 30,000 veterans, in addition to their spouses and other eligible family members. In January 2024, the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) announced the expansion of the cemetery’s footprint to 35 acres.
“This may be a rural cemetery, but it’s located in a suburban community, and North Dakotans want to make this happen. We don't mess around,” added Cramer. “Let us now roll up our sleeves and do it the right way. We are all on the same side, working toward the same goal.”
At a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in February, Senator Cramer questioned Quinn about ways to ensure a positive outcome for all stakeholders involved in the expansion of the VA national cemetery in Fargo.