U.S. Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) said he is pleased with last week’s announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officially naming a Sarpy County location for the Omaha National Cemetary.
On a 236-acre plot of land along Highway 50 and Schram Road, the cemetery will offer a burial option for more than 112,000 veterans.
“With [the] announcement, Omaha National Cemetery is that much closer to being a reality,” Terry said. “This is an effort that has been one of my top priorities in Congress because I believe metro area veterans deserve an honorable resting place close to home.”
Currently, the closest veterans’ cemetery to Omaha is 180 miles to the south in Leavenworth, Kansas, and the only one in the state is 267 miles to the west.
The effort to bring a national veterans’ cemetary to Omaha began in 2009 when Terry led a movement to change the determining factor on the location of new local cemeteries. The adjustment to the Veteran Population Threshold allowed Omaha to be entered into the discussions for veterans’ cemeteries.
In 2012, the VA bought land in Sarpy County for $6.2 million with a requested budget of $36 million for construction of the cemetery. That budget passed last year, allowing construction to begin.