[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 111 (Wednesday, July 22, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S7887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCONNELL:
  S. 1493. A bill to designate the current and future Department of 
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Louisville, Kentucky, as the 
``Robley Rex Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''; to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to honor a Kentuckian who is a true American hero: Robley Henry Rex.
  When Robley passed away in April of this year just a few days shy of 
his 108th birthday, he was recognized across my State as Kentucky's 
last World War I-era veteran and hailed as a champion of his fellow 
service members.
  Ninety years ago, Robley bravely put on his country's uniform and 
left Christian County, KY, where he was born and raised, to patrol the 
hills of France in the immediate aftermath of what was then called The 
Great War. After leaving the Army in 1922, he returned to the 
Commonwealth.
  In the years following his Army service, Robley began volunteering at 
the Louisville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VAMC. He would go on to 
devote over 14,000 hours of service, right up until the last years of 
his long and productive life.
  My legislation would name the current VA hospital in Louisville after 
Robley Rex. It also ensures that when a new VAMC is built, that future 
facility will also bear his name.
  The idea to name this facility after Kentucky's pre-eminent volunteer 
on behalf of veterans came from a constituent of mine, himself also a 
veteran. Moreover, the Kentucky Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars 
had the very same idea and endorsed the proposal during its recent 
state convention. I'm just pleased that as a Kentucky Senator, I am in 
a position to make it happen.
  I can't think of a more appropriate person to name the facility after 
than Robley Rex. And I can't think of a more appropriate source for the 
idea than the Kentucky veterans community.
  The new VAMC will be vital to Kentucky's veterans, as well as to 
Louisville's economy. Once complete, the VA hospital will ensure that 
the men and women who served our country will receive the quality 
health care they deserve.
  That devotion to ensuring quality care to our veterans is exemplified 
in the life and service of Robley Rex. How fitting that his fellow 
veterans--so many of whom knew Robley personally from his countless 
hours of volunteer service--will see his name above the door.
  Finally, I note that this is bipartisan legislation. It enjoys the 
support of Representatives John Yarmuth and Ben Chandler in the other 
chamber. I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1493

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

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF ROBLEY REX DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and any successor to 
     such medical center, shall after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act be known and designated as the ``Robley Rex 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''.
       (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 Robley Rex Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
                                 ______