Rep. Rose Delivers for Upper Cumberland Veterans with New State Cemetery Funding
December 17, 2025
COOKEVILLE, TN—Today, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06) announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved full federal funding for the establishment of the new Upper Cumberland State Veterans Cemetery in White County — less than a month after Rep. Rose led a letter urging the VA to prioritize the project.
Last month, Rep. Rose and Congressman Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) sent a joint letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins urging swift federal action on this long-sought project. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that the project has qualified for a grant that will fully fund the development and construction of the new Upper Cumberland State Veterans Cemetery in White County.
Rep. Rose released the following statement:
“I’m proud to have fought for the 25,000 veterans in the Upper Cumberland who’ve gone far too long without a nearby state-run cemetery,” Rep. Rose said. “This project will provide Tennessee’s veterans and their families with a dignified, no-cost resting place close to home. I’m grateful to Rep. DesJarlais and the Upper Cumberland Veterans Cemetery Association for their partnership and advocacy in making this possible.”
Rep. DesJarlais released the following statement:
“Tennessee is home to some of the finest men and women who have served our country with honor. I am thrilled to have worked with Rep. Rose and other federal and state partners to secure funding for a new veterans cemetery in the Upper Cumberland region,” Rep. DesJarlais said.
Background:
The Upper Cumberland region—spanning 14 counties and home to more than 25,000 veterans—currently has no state or national veterans cemetery. Families must travel to Nashville, Knoxville, or beyond for burial options, leaving the region effectively “unserved.”
The new facility will close that gap by offering no-cost burials for veterans and no- or low-cost options for spouses and dependents, giving rural families a long-overdue local option. Once completed, the Upper Cumberland State Veterans Cemetery will become Tennessee’s sixth state-run veterans cemetery, ensuring the state’s heroes have a fitting final resting place near the communities they served.