03-05-2025
Armstrong signs bill to open path for funding for new Veterans Memorial Center
May 2—BISMARCK — Gov. Kelly Armstrong on Friday signed a bill that opens a path for up to $3 million in state funding for the development of a Veterans Memorial Center at Fargo National Cemetery.
Senate Bill 2265, introduced by Sen. Scott Meyer, R-Grand Forks, and co-sponsored by Sens. Randy Burckhard, R-Minot; Kathy Hogan, D-Fargo; Larry Luick, R-Fairmount; and Ron Sorvaag, R-Fargo; and Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo, was signed during a ceremony that also included U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and members of the Fargo Memorial Honor Guard.
Amenities of the proposed facility, as outlined by a release from Hoeven's office, include a gathering area to be used by family and friends of the deceased veteran prior to or following interment; a gallery to showcase the lives and service of veterans; offices for Veterans Administration staff; a break room for Honor Guard members; indoor restrooms; a garage to accommodate a hearse; and a parking lot.
Meyer said the Memorial Honor Guard reached out to him last year asking if he would be willing to sponsor the plan.
"They were going around the state showing their idea. They tried it last session, and it didn't work out," Meyer told the Grand Forks Herald.
The Honor Guard sought out Meyer because of previous work pushing military-themed proposals in the Legislature, he said. Further, Meyer's father is a Vietnam veteran.
"It's something I'm honored to be a part of," Meyer said. "It's meant to honor our fallen heroes."
Technically, SB 2265 creates a line of credit of up to $3 million. Since the new memorial center will require approvals at the federal level, its in-state backers must wait before moving ahead with construction. Since the Legislature only meets every other year, the line of credit allows the project to move forward once it receives federal approval, rather than waiting for state approval — and funding — in a future biennium.
The Fargo Memorial Honor Guard is the nonprofit organization responsible for building the center. The funds will become available once the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides final approval of the project plan and authorizes construction to begin, priorities which Hoeven continues working to advance at the federal level. Hoeven has received commitments from Veterans Administration Secretary Doug Collins and Sam Brown, nominee to become VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, to work with Hoeven to get the federal approvals, according to Meyer and Hoeven's office.
In the release from Hoeven's office, Meyer said that "as the son of a Vietnam veteran, it is the honor of my legislative career to secure funding for upgrades at the Fargo National Cemetery." He commended Hoeven's leadership for "bringing all parties to the table, and I'm proud that the state of North Dakota did their part to commemorate our veterans."
Added Schauer: "The passage of SB 2265 sends an important message to veterans and their families: We care. We care about you while serving. We care about you when you leave the military, and ultimately, we care for you when your times comes to end. Our goal is to bring the Fargo National Cemetery to the same high standard as the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan. That is a high bar, but attainable when we work together to achieve it."
