[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5969-H5970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ELWOOD ``BUD'' LINK DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2245) to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs 
outpatient clinic in Wenatchee, Washington, as the Elwood ``Bud'' Link 
Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2245

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF ELWOOD ``BUD'' LINK DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS OUTPATIENT CLINIC.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     outpatient clinic located in Wenatchee, Washington, shall 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and 
     designated as the ``Elwood `Bud' Link Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Outpatient Clinic''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, record, or other paper of the United States to the 
     medical center referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Elwood ``Bud'' Link 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support of H.R. 
2245, a bill to name the VA Outpatient Clinic in Wenatchee, Washington, 
after Elwood ``Bud'' Link.
  Mr. Link, along with his comrades from the Cashmere Veterans of 
Foreign Wars Post 1045, was the driving force in getting a VA clinic 
built in North Central Washington. A veteran of World War II, Link 
worked tirelessly to bring accessible health care to his rural 
community.
  And according to the Northwest Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of 
America, ``Bud may not be the highest ranking veteran in the community 
or the one with the most medals. But if you ask us, no one stood taller 
than him in the veteran community and naming the [clinic] after him 
will inspire us all to greater heights.''
  In a newspaper article on the opening of the clinic, Mr. Link's widow 
stated that the message of Link's work for veterans was ``if you want 
to get something done, get a group behind you and go for it.'' Mr. Link 
did just that, and today, the veterans of rural Washington have a 
veterans' health care facility.
  So today we not only honor the work of Elwood ``Bud'' Link, we also, 
in a very real sense, recognize the efforts of all of our veterans who 
work tirelessly day after day to ensure that their comrades get the 
health care benefits that they earned in service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, everywhere I go across the Nation I find leaders like 
Bud Link who don't just care about their own benefits, their own next 
appointment with the VA, but all the veterans, and they work in their 
community to make sure that we as a Congress respond to those needs. 
And I hope that we continue to respond to them.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUYER. I rise in support of H.R. 2245, a bill to designate the 
Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Wenatchee, 
Washington, as the Elwood ``Bud'' Link Department of Veterans Affairs 
Outpatient Clinic. I commend my colleague from Washington, Doc 
Hastings, for introducing this bill.
  Bud was a very outspoken Navy veteran of World War II. Along with his 
friend and fellow veteran Bill Forte, he worked tirelessly with local 
veteran service organizations and elected officials to establish this 
outpatient clinic in Wenatchee, Washington, which is about 148 miles 
from Seattle. Bud is recognized as the catalyst behind this outpatient 
clinic, but unfortunately, he passed away before seeing its opening.
  This selfless example of service to veterans is an inspiration to us 
all and certainly should be recognized. Memorializing Bud by renaming 
the clinic will recognize his service as both a seaman and as a veteran 
advocate.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I'm prepared to close and would reserve my time.
  Mr. BUYER. I urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on H.R. 2245.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?

[[Page H5970]]

  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the 
opportunity to speak in support of H.R. 2245, my bill to name the 
Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in 
Wenatchee, Washington in honor of Elwood ``Bud'' Link.
  Bud joined the Navy in 1941 and served on the destroyer USS Tracy 
that aided U.S. forces at Guadalcanal, Okinawa, and elsewhere in the 
Pacific. He was one of many residents of north central Washington who 
were called to serve their country during World War II. However, Bud's 
support for his Nation didn't stop when his military service ended.
  As an active member of the local Cashmere Veterans of Foreign Wars 
post, Bud was a dedicated advocate for increased hometown health care. 
He experienced firsthand the long distances north central Washington 
veterans had to travel for even the most basic health care. In 2001, 
the Cashmere-Leavenworth VFW passed a motion to research the need for a 
VA clinic, and Bud quickly took the lead. He became a tireless 
proponent of bringing a veterans outpatient clinic to north central 
Washington.
  Bud was instrumental in keeping the local veterans motivated, active 
and informed about how to successfully make a clinic a reality. He 
championed the clinic until his death in 2003.
  For several years I worked with Bud Link and local veterans to make 
the case for a new clinic in north central Washington and press the VA 
when the project faced delays. Our hard work paid off in 2006 when the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs approved a new clinic. And, in 2007 I was 
very proud to attend the grand opening of the new VA clinic in 
Wenatchee.
  As a tribute to Bud's work to support hometown health care for rural 
Washington state veterans, Senator Patty Murray and I introduced 
legislation to name the clinic in Bud's honor.
  This bill has the endorsement of the local community, the entire 
Washington state Congressional delegation, the Washington state 
Chapters of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, the 
Disabled American Veterans, and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
  By officially naming this clinic in Wenatchee after Bud, we are 
paying respect to a local veteran who fought for the quality care his 
fellow veterans deserve.
  I would like to thank Bud's wife, Helen, for her steadfast support of 
Bud's efforts. I would also like to thank the members of the Cashmere-
Leavenworth VFW for their work to organize the local community in 
support of the clinic. Finally, I would like to thank Chairman Filner 
and Ranking Member Buyer for their work to bring this bill to the floor 
today.
  I strongly encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2245. Through this 
bill we are recognizing the heroic efforts of Bud Link and his work to 
improve the health care of his fellow veterans.
  Mr. FILNER. I urge my colleagues to unanimously support this 
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2245.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the 
affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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