The Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs is a senior position within the

United States Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers a ...

that directs the

National Cemetery Administration The United States National Cemetery System is a system of 164 cemetery, cemeteries in the United States and its territories. The authority to create military burial places came during the American Civil War, in an act passed by the U.S. ...

, which maintains 150

national cemeteries The following is a partial list of prominent National Cemeteries: Africa Algeria * El Alia Cemetery, Algiers Burundi * Mausolée des Martyrs de la Démocratie, Bujumbura Ghana * Asomdwee Park, Accra * Burma Camp Military Cemetery, Acc ...

and provides burial services for veterans of the

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

and eligible family members. The Under Secretary is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. On April 19, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Matthew T. Quinn to become the next Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Memorial Affairs. Quinn was confirmed by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

on June 17, 2021, by voice vote. He was sworn into office on June 23, 2021 by Secretary Denis McDonough.

History and responsibilities

In addition to the maintenance and operation of national cemeteries, the Under Secretary is also responsible for their land acquisition, design, and construction. Other memorial programs overseen by the Under Secretary include the provision of

headstone A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a stele or marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. It is traditional for burials in the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions, among others. In most cases, it has the deceased's name, da ...

s, markers, and Presidential Memorial Certificates—engraved paper certificates signed by the current president—to honor deceased veterans' service. The Under Secretary also administers

federal grant In the United States, federal grants are economic aid issued by the United States government out of the general federal revenue. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purp ...

s to help states establish state veterans' cemeteries. The position was created by the

Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

, which was signed by President Clinton on November 11, 1998. As a result of the Act, the organization led by a Director, the National Cemetery System, evolved from an agency into an administration led by an Under Secretary when it was renamed to the

. From April 1998 to early September 2000, a series of

Acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...

Directors and Acting Under Secretaries headed the Administration. Two of these were Roger R. Rapp and Mike Walker, with the latter later being confirmed by the United States Senate. They were followed by Under Secretaries

Robin Higgins Robin Lee Higgins (born December 23, 1950) is a former Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Early life and education A native ...

and

John W. Nicholson John William "Jack" Nicholson Sr. (born February 22, 1934) is an American retired Brigadier General of the United States Army who was appointed secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) by President George W. Bush in January 2 ...

List of Under Secretaries for Memorial Affairs

Originally, the position was Chief Memorial Affairs Director and then director of the National Cemetery System.Former Directors & Under Secretaries for Memorial Affairs, 1973–Present
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Public Law 105-368 (November 11, 1998) changed the National Cemetery System, headed by a Director, to the National Cemetery Administration, headed by the Under Secretary of Memorial Affairs. The following individuals served as director or under secretary:

References

{{USVA agencies Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs