[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 24, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2267-H2268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MAJOR CHARLES R. SOLTES, JR., O.D. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BLIND
REHABILITATION CENTER
Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4360) to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs blind
rehabilitation center in Long Beach, California, as the ``Major Charles
R. Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind
Rehabilitation Center''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4360
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BLIND
REHABILITATION CENTER, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs blind rehabilitation
center in Long Beach, California, shall after the date of the
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Major
Charles R. Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs
Blind Rehabilitation Center''. Any reference to such blind
rehabilitation center in any law, regulation, map, document,
record, or other paper of the United States shall be
considered to be a reference to the ``Major Charles R.
Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind
Rehabilitation Center''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4360.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. FILNER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today to offer my support for H.R. 4360, a bill to name the VA
Blind Rehabilitation Center in Long Beach, California, after the
distinguished Iraq veteran Charles R. Soltes.
Mr. Soltes valiantly served his country in the United States Army as
a major in the 426th Civil Affairs Battalion in Mosul, Iraq. He died on
October 13, 2004, from wounds sustained in a blast conducting a combat
patrol in Mosul. He was only 36 years old.
Major Soltes was a graduate of the New England College of Optometry
and later completed his residency at Brooke Army Medical Center that
focused on ocular trauma, acute eye conditions, medical contact lens
applications, and glaucoma care. At West Point, he served as director
of the optometry residency program. In 1998, Major Soltes became
clinical director of the Irvin Vision Institute, a refractive surgery
specialty center where he served until his voluntary deployment in
Iraq. He was the first military optometrist to be killed in action
while serving as a public health officer in Iraq.
He leaves behind a wife and three young children. Also an
optometrist, Major Soltes' wife, Dr. Sally Houng Dang, currently treats
blinded veterans as a way to honor her husband.
Naming a VA facility after this hero and a strong veterans advocate
is a proper honor for an honorable soldier who made the ultimate
sacrifice for his Nation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4360, a bill to
designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation
Center in Long Beach, California, as the Major Charles R. Soltes, Jr.,
O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center.
Naming the future blind rehabilitation center currently in its final
stages of construction in Long Beach, California, after Major Charles
R. Soltes, Jr., is an appropriate expression of our support for our
blind veterans.
In 2004 while deployed in Iraq, Major Soltes was serving in the 426th
Civil Affairs Battalion in the U.S. Army when the vehicle he was
traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device, costing him
his life.
He was the first Army optometrist to be killed in action while on
Active Duty, but the legacy Major Soltes leaves behind remains strong
with the veteran community, particularly among our blinded veterans.
The VA estimates that approximately 157,000 veterans in the United
States are legally blind, and over 1 million additional veterans are
suffering from debilitating low vision.
Approximately 60 percent of veterans with known combat-related
traumatic brain injury and 30 percent with noncombat TBI report visual
symptoms. As eye injuries continue to plague our servicemembers
overseas, these numbers will continue to rise. And the work of
optometrists like Major Soltes will become increasingly important.
In closing, I would like to express my deepest condolences and
heartfelt appreciation to Major Soltes' family for their sacrifice.
It's my sincerest wish that through the facility, the service and
sacrifice of Major Soltes will not be forgotten, and his dedication to
country and mankind will live on in the increased health and well-being
of our Nation's blinded veterans.
I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) as much
time as he might consume.
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, today I rise in honor of an American
patriot for his service and his sacrifice to our country, Major Charles
Robert Soltes of Irvine, California, the son of Colonel Soltes, who is
now retired. Major Soltes had a distinguished career in the United
States Army as well as in the city of Irvine, I might add, where he
practiced medicine. It was in Irvine where he entered into private
practice as an optometrist and set down his roots to raise a family.
Dr. Soltes subsequently joined the Army Reserve and was deployed to
Iraq in 2004. He worked tirelessly as a public health officer in the
426th Civil Affairs Battalion building and upgrading hospitals for the
Iraqi people.
On his way back from a hospital visit, his convoy was attacked by an
improvised explosive device, and Major Soltes was killed on October 13,
2004. He was the first Army optometrist to be killed in action while on
Active Duty. As such, it seems fitting that we honor him and his family
by naming a soon-to-be-completed Veterans Affairs blind rehabilitation
center in Long Beach, California, at the veterans hospital there, which
is in my congressional district.
Once this facility is completed, the blind rehabilitation center, it
will work to deliver the same compassion and care that Dr. Soltes
dedicated his entire career and gave his life for. This new 24-bed
inpatient-outpatient facility, which is expected to be completed this
year, will be the first purpose-built blind rehabilitation center in
the national Veterans Administration, and as I say, it's located in my
district, for which I have great pride.
Dr. Soltes was a graduate of New England College of Optometry. He
entered the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps in 1994 and treated members
of the military here in the United States as well as abroad. He was
well liked and respected by his colleagues. One of
[[Page H2268]]
his superiors, Colonel Adams, whom he met while he was going through
officer basic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, said of him, ``He
was a tremendous young man. He volunteered to go into Civil Affairs,
and every email he sent was upbeat and positive, and he felt he was
making a real difference in the lives of the Iraqi people.''
Today, by naming this new facility after him, we are ensuring that
Major Soltes' spirit lives on. Every time a patient's quality of life
improves, Major Soltes, his dedication to service, will be continued.
To Major Soltes and his family, we salute you. And with this act of
Congress, we forever remember the sacrifice Major Soltes gave. Whether
giving their most vibrant and youthful years of service to their
country or laying down their lives so that we and our children can
sleep safely at night, we must remember all who gave some, and some,
like Major Soltes, who gave all.
I appreciate my colleagues' understanding in this issue in bringing
it up today. Thank you.
Mr. BOOZMAN. Again, Madam Chair, in closing, this is a special honor
for me as an optometrist who practiced for many, many years, to be
celebrating a colleague who paid so dearly, he and his family. We're so
proud of him--myself, as a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee,
but also as an optometrist. And I know that the profession of optometry
is very, very proud of his efforts. And we will be thinking of his
family, but I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I think it was most appropriate that the
manager on the Republican side was our House optometrist, Mr. Boozman.
So thank you for your expertise that you always give us on the
committee.
I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 4360.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise today
in support of H.R. 4360, which designates the Department of Veterans
Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center in Long Beach, California, the
``Major Charles R. Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs
Blind Rehabilitation Center.'' The naming of the Veterans Affairs Long
Beach Blind Rehabilitation Center in honor of Major Soltes is a fitting
tribute to the dual service Major Soltes rendered the Nation as a
soldier and a doctor of optometry.
I thank Chairman Filner for his leadership in bringing this bill to
the floor. I would also like to thank Congressman Campbell for
sponsoring this bill.
Madam Speaker, growing up in a military family, Charles Robert
``Rob'' Soltes, Jr., always possessed a love of country and an
appreciation of the importance of service and sacrifice. Major Soltes
also had a gift for medicine and a passion for helping others. It was
that sense of duty and passion that enabled him to excel at Norwich
University, from which he graduated and was commissioned as a 2nd
lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Major Soltes went on to attend optometry
school in Boston, where he met his wife.
Major Soltes took his passion for medicine to the military when he
joined the Army Reserve in 1990. He served on active duty as an
optometrist from 1994-1999. In 2004, he was called to duty in Iraq,
where he was a member of the 7214th Medical Support Unit, which was
charged with helping to rebuild the public health infrastructure in
Iraq. On October 13, 2004, Major Soltes was tragically killed when an
explosive device hit his convoy as it traveled back from a local Army
hospital.
It is entirely fitting that we take this opportunity to honor this
fallen soldier who left us too soon. Major Soltes embodied all that
Americans can ask for in heroes--courage, love of country,
selflessness. Major Soltes touched many lives, but he will be missed
most by his family. He was a devoted father and a loving husband. No
matter how much time his military service and professional obligations
demanded, he always put family first. They will miss him, as we all do.
However, by passing this bill today, we can ensure that he will not be
forgotten.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
4360.
Mr. CAMPBELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4360, to
designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation
Center in Long Beach, California, as the ``Major Charles R. Soltes,
Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center.''
I was honored to introduce this legislation to recognize a true
American Hero who was a constituent of mine from Irvine, CA.
Major Soltes, 36, was the first military optometrist to be killed in
action while on active duty. He was serving as a Public Health Officer
with the 426th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve in Mosul,
Iraq, assisting in the restoration of the medical infrastructure. On
October 13, 2004, he was killed while returning from a hospital visit
when his convoy was attacked with an improvised explosive device.
The son of an Army officer and Vietnam veteran, Major Soltes was a
graduate of Norwich University, a military school in Vermont, and the
New England College of Optometry. He entered the U.S. Army Medical
Service Corps in 1994 as an Army optometrist and provided eye care
services to service men and women at home and abroad. Major Soltes
served in Texas, the Republic of Korea, and at the United States
Military Academy at West Point.
During his military service, Major Soltes completed a residency at
the prestigious Brooke Army Medical Center. He earned adjunct faculty
appointments at the University of Houston College of Optometry, the
State University of New York State College of Optometry, and the
Northeasrn State University College of Optometry. At the United States
Military Academy at West Point, Major Soltes served as director of the
Optometry Residency Program. In 1998, he earned his fellowship in the
American Academy of Optometry. After completing his military duties in
1999, he moved to Irvine, CA, where he started a private practice,
joined the Army Reserve and became the clinical director at Irvine
Vision Institute, a refractive surgery specialty center in Irvine, CA.
Major Soltes leaves behind his wife, Sally Huong Dang, O.D., and
three sons, Ryan, Brandan, and Robert Harrison. Major Soltes is also
survived by his father, COL (retired) Charles R. Soltes, Sr., his
mother, Nancy Soltes, and two siblings, Carolyn Soltes Matthies, and
Jeffrey Soltes.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased this legislation has received wide
bipartisan support with 73 cosponsors including Speaker Nancy Pelosi
and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Bob Filner. It
also has broad support outside of Congress from groups such as the
American Optometric Association to the following Veteran Service
Organizations: Blind Veterans Association, Vietnam Veterans of America,
American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of
America, AMVETS, POW/MIA, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled
American Veterans, and Jewish War Veterans.
I have had the opportunity to meet with Major Soltes's widow, Dr.
Sally Dang and their three outstanding sons. This is a family of such
immense strength, but also of pride for their husband and father, his
life, his accomplishments, his service and his sacrifice. Dr. Dang
recounted that if her husband had the opportunity to come back and
serve again, he would do it without hesitation. When we name this
center for Major Soltes today, we honor his family, his memory, and his
military service, but also his service as a doctor who helped people
see more clearly. Fittingly, Dr. Dang is also a practicing optometrist.
May this honor today help us all to see--to see better with our eyes,
of course, and to help those veterans suffering with blindness. But
also, to see the selfless and wonderful people upon whom our freedoms
as a people rest. Major Soltes lies amongst them. May God bless his
family and his memory.
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 bill, H.R. 4360.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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.
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