{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-led-working-group-announces-community-plan-to-build-veterans-memorial-center-at-fnc", "Hoeven-Led Working Group Announces Community Plan to Build Veterans Memorial Center at FNC", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "ND", "John Hoeven", "H001061", "www.hoeven.senate.gov", "hoeven", "https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Hoeven-Led Working Group Announces Community Plan to Build Veterans Memorial Center at FNC\n\nAfter Securing Veterans Cemetery Expansion, Senator Coordinating Efforts to Secure VA Approval of FM Honor Guard Proffer, Utilizing Impact Foundation for Financial Oversight\n\nFARGO, N.D. \u2013 Senator John Hoeven, joined by the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard, Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney, Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson, West Fargo Mayor Bernie Dardis and FMWF Executive Director Shannon Full, today announced a community plan to develop a Veterans Memorial Center at Fargo National Cemetery (FNC). This follows Hoeven\u2019s efforts as a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee to secure an expansion and enhancements for FNC, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) having purchased land to expand the cemetery\u2019s footprint from 5 to 35 acres. The expansion comes with significant investment by the VA, both in developing a new master plan for adding infrastructure to the land, as well as ongoing operations, staffing and maintenance.\n\nHoeven has since been working to coordinate efforts among veterans groups, local stakeholders and the VA to build a facility at the FNC that incorporates local input and adequately addresses the needs of veterans, their families and volunteers. As a result:\n\nStakeholders from the region have formed a working group to support the development effort, consisting of Senator Hoeven\u2019s office, the mayors of Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo and the executive director of the FMWF Chamber.\n\nThe Hoeven-led group is working with the VA to vet and officially name the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard as the 501(c)(3) responsible for building the Veterans Memorial Center.\n\nHoeven advanced this option with the VA to save the project time and cost, using a process wherein a local nonprofit may develop and donate a commemorative work, such as a visitor\u2019s center, to the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).\n\nHoeven continues working to ensure the VA follows through on its commitment to support this project moving forward, having raised this priority in a Senate committee hearing with VA Secretary Denis McDonough.\n\nThe Honor Guard will utilize the Impact Foundation to provide financial oversight of the project.\n\nThe Honor Guard has prepared a proffer to submit to the VA for review, in collaboration with Hoeven\u2019s working group.\n\nThe working group will continue its efforts to communicate with the public and ensure local support for the project.\n\n\u201cSince the time of its establishment, we have worked to bring enhanced facilities to the Fargo National Cemetery that properly honor our veterans and their families, while supporting the efforts of volunteers. Now, we have a solid community plan in place and the buy-in of the essential stakeholders, and we\u2019re bringing that plan to the VA,\u201d said Senator Hoeven. \u201cWith the partnership of our working group with the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard and the Impact Foundation, we are positioned to secure VA approval for this project, which will be built and donated by the Honor Guard. But our work isn\u2019t done, and we will continue to coordinate efforts to deliver the kind of facility that our veterans have earned.\u201d\n\nUnder the proffer developed by the working group and the Honor Guard, the approximately $3.7 million Veterans Memorial Center will include the following amenities:\n\nGathering area to be used by family and friends of the deceased veteran prior to or following the interment.\n\nGallery to showcase the lives and service of our veterans.\n\nOffices for VA staff.\n\nBreakroom for the Honor Guard members.\n\nIndoor restrooms.\n\nGarage to accommodate a hearse.\n\nParking lot.\n\n-###-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-led-working-group-announces-community-plan-to-build-veterans-memorial-center-at-fnc"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4775190502405167, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}