Wednesday will mark first time solemn ceremony performed at Washington Crossing National Cemetery

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey and Congressman Patrick Murphy today offered the following remarks in advance of the first burials being performed tomorrow at the new national cemetery, Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Bucks County, on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.

Senator Specter, a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said: “This country was founded because of the valor of Americans fighting for our freedom right here in Washington’s crossing. It is our duty to properly honor the veterans who are responsible, more than any other group, for the establishment, safety and preservation of this country. The first burials at the veteran’s cemetery mark a somber and significant step in our efforts to show our gratitude for their service. I am humbled and proud to have played a role in bringing a veterans cemetery to Southeastern Pennsylvania, so veterans’ families and friends do not have to travel hundreds of miles to visit their loved ones. I thank Congressman Murphy and my colleagues for their efforts to help fulfill this obligation to our veterans.”

“I am very grateful that men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces, and some of whom gave, as Abraham Lincoln said, the ‘last full measure of devotion’ will be honored and rest in the new national cemetery at Washington Crossing in Bucks County, Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “As grateful as we are for our veterans who are returned to us safely, it is just as important to the character of our nation to honor and always remember the lives of those that died defending our freedom. I hope that the families of the Pennsylvania veterans who are buried at Washington Crossing may find some small measure of peace in having this new national cemetery close by.”

Congressman Murphy, the first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said: “These burials ensure that those who have worn the cloth of our country have a peaceful, dignified final resting place, and we hope it brings their families and friends a small measure of comfort. I’ve been proud to play a role in bringing the veterans’ cemetery to Bucks County, and to work with so many to make this a reality for our veterans and their families.”

The burials on Wednesday are private and not open to media or the public.

The 205-acre cemetery near Washington Crossing Historic Park started Phase One of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony on November 16, 2008. Construction of Phase 1A was completed and turned over to the VA National Cemetery Administration in December 2009. Phase 1B construction is scheduled for March 2010, with completion approximately 18 months after that. Phase 1B represents the balance of the permanent infrastructure to run the cemetery and provide burial space for an estimated 10 years.

Senator Specter has been instrumental in making the cemetery a reality. In October 1998, Senator Specter stood with Representative Jon Fox in a soybean and wheat field at the edge of Valley Forge National Historical Park to announce plans to bring a national veterans cemetery to southeast Pennsylvania. Senator Specter’s efforts include: authoring and passing legislation to establish a national cemetery in southeastern Pennsylvania, chairing several Veterans Affairs Committee hearings to garner support for the cemetery, and working closely with all stakeholders to keep the process moving. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Specter helped to secure the funding necessary for the development of the cemetery: $1 million in FY05 for the site selection process; $41 million in FY06 for acquisition of land for 6 new cemeteries, including SE PA; $13.6 million in FY07 for advance planning funds at the 6 new cemeteries; and $29 million FY08 for Phase I construction of the Washington Crossing National Cemetery.

Congressman Murphy has secured a total of $2.84 million in federal funding for improvements to the roads leading to the site of Washington Crossing National Cemetery to support infrastructure and traffic calming measures. In addition, Rep. Murphy helped facilitate bipartisan municipal support for the project, ensuring its successful implementation at the local level.

For Immediate Release, January 19, 2010
Contact: Kate Kelly, Specter (202) 224-9020
Stephanie Zarecky, Casey (202) 228-6367
Kate Hansen, Murphy (202) 225 -4276