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H.R. 4317, TO NAME THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATED IN LUFKIN, TEXAS, AS THE “CHARLES WILSON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC”
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| June 1st, 2004 |
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HONORABLE JEFF MILLER
FLOOR STATEMENT
H.R. 4317, TO NAME THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATED IN LUFKIN, TEXAS, AS THE “CHARLES WILSON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC”
JUNE 1, 2004
(Speaker - for what purpose does the gentleman from Florida rise?)
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4317.
(The clerk will read the title of the bill.)
(Speaker – Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) will be recognized for 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).)
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4317, would name the VA outpatient clinic in the city of Lufkin, Texas, for our former colleague, the Honorable Charles Wilson of Texas. I did not have the opportunity to know Mr. Wilson during his time in Congress, but Members who worked with him remember Charlie Wilson for his steadfast support of our Nation’s defense capabilities and intelligence operations.
Mr. Wilson’s personal history is as spirited as the Lone Star State where he was born. Growing up in Lufkin in east Texas, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1956, and thereafter served honorably in the United States Navy. After serving in the Texas House and Senate, Mr. Wilson was elected to Congress in 1972. Mr. Wilson represented the 2nd Congressional District of Texas for twelve terms. He retired in 1996 and has maintained a successful consulting business here in Washington and in his native Texas.
Over twenty years ago, as a Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr. Wilson focused his energy on the plight of the Afghan people then under invasion by the old Soviet Union. Mr. Wilson’s singular effort to sustain covert U.S. aid for the rebels in Afghanistan was a crucial resource for the Afghan people to drive the Soviets from their country. Influenced by Mr. Wilson’s work in Afghanistan, the U.S. cold war operation contributed to the eventual collapse of the U.S.S.R. These events are vividly depicted in the recent book by George Crile, Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History.
I believe using any definition of the term, Charles Wilson is an extraordinary man in foreign affairs and intelligence matters. Closer to home, as an advocate for the veterans of our armed forces who were his constituents in Texas, Mr. Wilson played a key role in convincing the VA to open an outpatient clinic in his hometown of Lufkin. The clinic was dedicated in 1991 and remains an important provider of care to veterans in east Texas.
I believe that our colleague from Texas and the sponsor of this bill, Mr. Turner, will speak in more detail about former Member Charles Wilson.
I reserve the balance of my time.
(After Mr. Rodriguez reserves the balance of his time)
Mr. Speaker, I yield ____ minutes to ____________.
(Alternate yielding time and reserving balance of time with Mr. Rodriguez until all those wishing to speak on both sides are finished.)
This is a bipartisan bill, and I urge Members to support H.R. 4317, to name the Lufkin, Texas VA Clinic the “Charles Wilson Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic”.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks and that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks, and include extraneous material on H.R. 4317.
(Speaker – Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? There was no objection.)
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and yield back the balance of my time.
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There are no Floor Speechess to be displayed for this month.
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