[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 434 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 434

Expressing the appreciation of the House of Representatives for Robert 
E. Wallace, retiring Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 
                of the United States, Washington Office.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 10, 2019

  Mr. Takano (for himself and Mr. Smith of New Jersey) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the appreciation of the House of Representatives for Robert 
E. Wallace, retiring Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 
                of the United States, Washington Office.

Whereas the congressionally-chartered Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United 
        States (hereinafter, ``VFW'') has, since its founding in 1899, existed 
        to serve United States veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their 
        families, wherever they reside or are assigned;
Whereas since 1996, Robert E. ``Bob'' Wallace, has helped lead the VFW 
        Washington Office, which this year marks a centennial of service and 
        advocacy in our Nation's Capital to ensure that veterans and military 
        communities are properly cared for by the Government that creates them;
Whereas Bob received three Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in Vietnam as a 
        member of the Marine Corps, returned home to pursue a career in banking 
        after earning a bachelor of science degree from Rutgers University and a 
        master's degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson 
        University, as well as graduating from the School for Bank 
        Administration at the University of Wisconsin;
Whereas Bob joined the VFW while in Vietnam and would be the recipient of the 
        national organization's 1979 Young Veteran of the Year award, as well as 
        from his home State of New Jersey, and he would go on to appointed and 
        to elected VFW positions, including being the first Vietnam veteran and 
        the youngest veteran to command the VFW Department of New Jersey from 
        1980 to 1981, and culminating in his being elected as the VFW National 
        Commander from 1991 to 1992;
Whereas Bob has worked with five United States Presidents and a countless number 
        of members of Congress, their staffs and fellow veterans organizations' 
        leadership to implement change for America's veterans, members of the 
        Armed Forces, and their families; his is a voice of reason and 
        motivation, coupled with a can-do attitude to meet every challenge that 
        improves the quality of life of the military and veterans communities he 
        serves;
Whereas the VFW's service officer program impacts lives, and Bob's direct 
        oversight of VFW National Veterans Service has enabled a nationwide and 
        international cadre of 2,100 accredited service officers to recoup $8.3 
        billion in earned disability benefits for more than 526,000 wounded, 
        ill, and injured veterans in 2018 alone;
Whereas the VFW's advocacy on Capitol Hill creates change that affects lives, 
        and Bob's direct oversight of the VFW National Legislative Service 
        ensured that the organization continued to have its fingerprints on 
        every piece of quality-of-life legislation signed into law at the end of 
        the 20th century and well into the 21st;
Whereas Bob's proudest legislative accomplishments are many, from Department of 
        Veterans Affairs funding battles prior to the signing of advanced 
        appropriations, to the Millennium Act, significant improvements to the 
        Montgomery GI Bill, the GI Bill for the 21st Century, and the Forever GI 
        Bill, as well the passage of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, appeals reform, 
        expansion of the Caregiver program, and the new VA/Department of Defense 
        electronic medical record, among numerous others; and
Whereas the VFW's support of our Nation's Full Accounting mission is without 
        peer because of Bob Wallace's hands-on approach to ensure the 
        governments of former enemies know from a veteran's perspective--and 
        from a family perspective--that the return of fallen members of the 
        Armed Forces is a humanitarian mission that transcends politics: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, that the House of Representatives--
            (1) salutes the leadership, guidance, and friendship of 
        Robert E. Wallace at the helm of the VFW Washington Office for 
        the past 23 years; he met every challenge and the VFW, 
        veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families 
        everywhere are better off for his faithful service and 
        advocacy; and
            (2) wishes him best wishes in his retirement, where every 
        day is Veterans Day.
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