[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 146 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H8071-H8072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   LIEUTENANT COLONEL CLEMENT C. VAN WAGONER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                             AFFAIRS CLINIC

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 2339) to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs 
clinic in Alpena, Michigan, as the ``Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van 
Wagoner Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 2339

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL CLEMENT C. VAN 
                   WAGONER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs clinic 
     located in Alpena, Michigan, shall after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
     ``Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van Wagoner Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, record, or other paper of the United States to the 
     clinic referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to 
     be a reference to the Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van 
     Wagoner Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the brave service of LTC 
Clement C. Van Wagoner.
  LTC Van Wagoner was Michigan's most highly decorated veteran in World 
War II, earning, amongst other honors, the Combat Infantry Badge, seven 
Bronze Stars, four Silver Stars, and five Purple Hearts.
  The awarding of the Combat Infantry Badge reflects the valor of those 
brave men and women who serve on the front lines in defense of our 
Nation. The Bronze Star is the fourth highest combat decoration that 
can be awarded by the U.S. Armed Forces and is given for acts of 
heroism or meritorious achievement. The Silver Star is awarded for acts 
of gallantry that have been performed with marked distinction in line 
of duty. And the Purple Heart, of course, is awarded to members of the 
Armed Forces who have been injured or killed while serving our Nation. 
LTC Van Wagoner's attainment of these decorations, some of the highest 
our country has to bestow, is indicative of the highly courageous 
manner in which he served.
  On D-day, June 6, 1944, LTC Van Wagoner landed on Omaha Beach, along 
with 1,800 of his fellow members of the 1st Infantry Division, and came 
away as only one of 32 survivors.

                              {time}  1600

  The courage to fight on in the face of such peril speaks volumes 
about the strength of character LTC Van Wagoner possessed.
  In the fall of 1944, while then a lieutenant, Van Wagoner served in 
Germany and participated in the battle for the city of Aachen as part 
of Company A of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division. The 
battle required a fight for the heavily defended ``Crucifix Hill'' 
which was riddled with German pillboxes. As the executive officer of 
Company A, LTC Van Wagoner by all accounts kept his company well 
organized and was instrumental in the 1st Infantry taking ``Crucifix 
Hill'' despite suffering many casualties. All told, LTC Van Wagoner was 
in combat for 600 days and was wounded on five separate occasions.
  Following the end of the Second World War, he continued to give of 
himself for his country by commanding a battalion of the Michigan 
National Guard until his retirement in 1967.
  His record of accomplishments should be a reminder to us all of the 
heroic personal sacrifices that have been made by great Americans in 
the service of our Nation. That is why it is with great pleasure I 
bring S. 2339 to the floor today to name the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs new Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Alpena, 
Michigan, in honor of LTC Van Wagoner.
  The Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van Wagoner Department of Veterans 
Affairs Clinic, as it will be designated, will help to improve the 
lives of North Michigan veterans by allowing them to receive health 
services locally in their community.
  Having passed away last spring at the age of 93, it is a fitting 
tribute for Michigan's most decorated soldier to have the new VA 
Community Based Outpatient Clinic designated in recognition of his 
valiant service.
  I thank my colleagues and especially Congressman Stupak of Michigan 
and Senators Stabenow and Levin of Michigan for introducing this 
important legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I also with my colleague from California 
rise in support of Senate bill 2339, a bill that was brought out 
recently to designate the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Alpena, 
Michigan as the Lieutenant Colonel Clement C. Van Wagoner Veterans 
Affairs Clinic.
  As pointed out by Dr. Filner, this is a very exceptional individual. 
Serving in the Army during World War II, LTC Van Wagoner was in combat 
for 600 days. He was severely wounded on five different occasions and 
was only one of 32 survivors of the 1,800 soldiers who landed with the 
1st Infantry Division at Omaha Beach on D-day. And many of us in this 
body have been to Omaha Beach. I was there in the 50th anniversary and 
saw the number of graves there and saw the arduous task involved. And 
we saw the film that also showed the amount of work, the number of 
people that fought and the people who survived. And this is one of 
them.
  LTC Van Wagoner continued to serve his country even after World War 
II in the Michigan National Guard until he retired in 1967. Now, among 
the honors he received for his service was the Combat Infantry Badge. 
That is saying something for him right there. But he also received 
seven Bronze Stars, seven, four Silver Stars, and obviously five Purple 
Hearts because being in combat for 600 days and continuing to serve his 
country, it is not altogether surprising that he would continue to be 
wounded. So this is an extraordinary individual. And this bill before 
us today is naming this clinic after him.
  I would say to my colleague from California, perhaps in the future, 
under our Veterans' Affairs Committee's rules for bipartisan naming 
policy for facilities, it would appear that next year we perhaps should 
reorganize the committee for the 111th Congress and revisit the naming 
policy, because obviously I think this person should be named under it, 
but I think under the strict guidelines we've established, it is not 
quite clear that this would be a naming facility for him. But under the 
circumstances, this fellow is very well qualified. I would just remind 
the chairman that we need to do that.
  Mr. Speaker, our actions to approve this bill today will send it to 
the White House for signature. I urge my colleagues to approve this 
measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to yield 
back.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I would ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2339.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Larsen of Washington). Is there 
objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. 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 Senate bill, S. 2339.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

[[Page H8072]]

  Mr. STEARNS. 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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