October 08, 2024

CORREA, KIM PUSH FOR FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR OC VETERAN CEMETERY GAINS MOMENTUM

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Last week, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration (NCA) released its FY 2025 Priority List of State and Tribal Government Cemetery Construction Grant Pre-Applications, which includes California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)’s application for the Southern California Veteran Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim Hills.

This announcement follows Representatives Lou Correa (CA-46) and Young Kim (CA-40) leading a bipartisan letter in August to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging federal support for the building of the cemetery, which would be the first-ever veteran cemetery in Orange County.

“All gave some and some gave all," Correa said. "Across Orange County, Democrats and Republicans alike are united in our support for Gypsum Canyon to serve as a final resting place for our veterans and their families, who courageously served our nation. I thank Rep. Young Kim for joining me in this fight—and promise to not stop fighting until we bring Orange County its first-ever veteran cemetery."

“Building a veteran cemetery in Orange County is long overdue and has been a project near and dear to my heart since my time in the State Assembly,” Young Kim said. “I’m thrilled we are one step closer to making this a reality for those who have served and their loved ones. I thank Rep. Lou Correa for being a steadfast partner in urging for federal support, and I’ll keep fighting to get this done.”

The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $20 million exclusively for site development of a veterans’ cemetery at Gypsum Canyon on July 27, 2021, and allocated over 200 acres of county-owned land near the intersection of the 91 freeway and 241 toll road for the purpose of building a public cemetery and a separate veterans cemetery. The amount of combined state and local funding to begin the construction for a veterans’ cemetery at this location currently totals $50 million, including $5 million allocated as part of the 2024 State Budget Act and $25 million in state funding already allocated in the previous state budget.