Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) officially awarded a grant of up to $13,610,908 to the State of Georgia for the establishment of the Georgia Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. Following the announcement, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) issued the statement below:
"Funding for the long-awaited veterans cemetery in Augusta has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia. To our veterans and their families in the CSRA and surrounding communities: the tireless work that brought us to this point is for you. I am proud to have played my part at the federal level in delivering over $13 million for this project and I look forward to officially breaking ground as soon as possible. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to Former Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Augusta Commissioner Don Clark for their relentless efforts in making this possible."
BACKGROUND: On August 5, 2026, Congressman Allen and several community leaders participated in a press conference in Augusta, Georgia—touting the federal funding for this project which Congressman Allen helped deliver. The funding was appropriated via H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and made available through the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program. The funding has now been officially awarded to the State of Georgia.
The new cemetery will serve veterans and their eligible family members of the Augusta region in Georgia. The grant will fund the construction of an Administration Building, Maintenance Building with a covered wash bay, Committal Service Shelter, an Assembly Area, 600 full casketed gravesites, 1,500 pre-placed crypts, 900 in-ground cremation gravesites, 960 columbarium niches, a Memorial Wall with 140 memorial wall plaques, an entry feature, roadways, landscape, irrigation, site furnishings and supporting infrastructure.
