SR-102, As Adopted by Senate, October 24, 2007

            Senators Prusi, Allen, Richardville, Birkholz, Garcia, Pappageorge, Kahn, Hardiman, Jelinek, Gilbert, Van Woerkom, Patterson, Cropsey, McManus, Cassis, Kuipers, Jansen, Olshove, Jacobs, Stamas, Brown, Cherry, Barcia, Switalski, Gleason, Whitmer, Sanborn and Bishop offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 102.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to provide for the construction and maintenance of a national cemetery in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

            Whereas, A measure of the respect our nation accords the men and women who protect us through their military service is how we treat our veterans long after they have finished their military duty. The network of national cemeteries under the administration of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is a most appropriate expression of the respect a grateful citizenry holds for those who have worn the nation's uniforms and faced grave perils to safeguard our freedoms; and

            Whereas, Ever since President Lincoln signed legislation during the Civil War to create national cemeteries as final resting places "for soldiers who have died in the service of the country," this network of cemeteries has grown. Today, there are 141 national cemeteries, with 125 under the VA National Cemetery Administration. New facilities are regularly developed; and

            Whereas, Despite the growth in the number of national cemeteries, including the addition of the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly that opened in 2005, veterans in our Upper Peninsula remain very far from any such facility. In fact, the nearest national cemeteries are hundreds of miles away, near Milwaukee and Minneapolis. This distance presents a significant obstacle for the families of many veterans. We should do all we can to make this measure of honor and respect more readily available to all veterans; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to provide for the construction and maintenance of a national cemetery in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.