[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 29, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H4919-H4921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     ALEJANDRO RENTERIA RUIZ DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4307) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-
based

[[Page H4920]]

outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, as the ``Alejandro Renteria 
Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4307

       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 COMMUNITY-
                   BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC, ARTESIA, NEW MEXICO.

       The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
     outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, shall, after the 
     date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, be known and designated as the ``Alejandro Renteria Ruiz 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''. Any reference to 
     such clinic in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or 
     other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a 
     reference to the Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of 
     Veterans Affairs 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.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. 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 the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, sponsored by Mr. 
Teague of New Mexico, that names the Department of Veterans Affairs 
community-based outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, as the 
Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  Alejandro Ruiz of Loving, New Mexico, enlisted as an infantryman in 
the United States Army in 1944. He went on to serve with the 27th 
Infantry Division in the Pacific theatre of operations during the 
Second World War.
  While advancing with his unit on the island of Okinawa, Private First 
Class Ruiz and his fellow soldiers came under intense automatic weapons 
fire from an enemy fighting position on the slopes of a narrow ravine.
  In response, Ruiz exposed himself to the hail of bullets on his own 
initiative and stormed the enemy position. After being repulsed once, 
he returned to gather more ammunition and made a second assault on the 
pillbox, singlehandedly neutralizing the enemy position and saving the 
lives of his fellow soldiers.
  For his actions on Okinawa, Private First Class Alejandro Renteria 
Ruiz was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was presented 
to him by President Truman on June 26, 1946, at the White House in 
Washington, DC.
  Mr. Ruiz went on to serve in the Korean War and eventually retired 
from the Army as a Master Sergeant in the 1960s.
  I'm sad to say that Mr. Ruiz passed away shortly before this bill was 
formally introduced, but I am very proud to honor his legacy of courage 
and patriotism by supporting H.R. 4307.
  I urge the House to join Mr. Teague in support of this bill and help 
to commemorate the valor of this great American.
  I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Mexico 
(Mr. Teague) to explain the bill.
  Mr. TEAGUE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my 
bill, H.R. 4307, which would name the VA veterans health clinic in 
Artesia, New Mexico, in honor of Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, a southern 
New Mexican who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
  Alejandro Ruiz was ultimately a sergeant in the United States Army. 
He was born and raised in Loving, New Mexico, down in southern Eddy 
County. When war broke out, he traveled north to Carlsbad and enlisted 
in the Army. After basic training, he was assigned to the 27th Infantry 
Division.
  The 27th Infantry Division was part of the largest amphibious 
operation in the Pacific theater, the Allied invasion of Okinawa, code 
name Operation Iceberg. It was during this invasion that, on April 28, 
1945, Private Ruiz' unit was pinned down by machine gun fire from a 
camouflaged Japanese pillbox. They were unable to advance until Ruiz 
grabbed an automatic rifle and charged the pillbox, right in the face 
of machine gun fire and grenades. Unfortunately, his rifle jammed, and 
one of the enemies attacked Ruiz. Without hesitation, he used the rifle 
as a club and beat back his enemy. Ruiz then returned to his original 
position, all the while under fire from machine guns and grenades from 
the pillbox. On his second attempt to free his unit, Ruiz was able to 
overtake the enemy pillbox and save the lives of fellow soldiers.
  For his actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, which was 
presented to him by President Truman on June 26, 1946, in a ceremony at 
the White House.
  Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I stand before you to 
honor this American hero. We should all work every day to remember 
individuals like Sergeant Ruiz. He and the multitudes of his fellow 
Americans who battled for the freedom of Europe, Asia, and the Americas 
left the world a legacy of liberty, security, and prosperity.
  After the war, Sergeant Ruiz would tell the story of how he came to 
serve in the Army. As a young man working for a cattle farmer in 
Carlsbad, he was told to transport an animal to another farm. Now, I am 
as familiar with the long, lonely roads of southern New Mexico as much 
as anyone is, and I can tell you, your mind wanders on those long 
drives. That day more than a half a century ago, Mr. Ruiz' mind 
wandered to thoughts of a girlfriend. Well, those thoughts in mind, he 
drove straight to Barstow, Texas, 122 miles away, to speak with that 
young woman, and he brought the cow with him. Seeing as he'd now stolen 
a cow, Mr. Ruiz was detained, and the judge told Mr. Ruiz he would 
either be sent to jail for taking the cow or he could enlist in the 
Army. He chose the Army.
  Sergeant Ruiz died on November 20, 2009. He was survived by two 
children, Selia Ruiz and Alejandro Ruiz, Jr., a sister, seven 
grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, Sergeant Ruiz was a member of the Greatest Generation. 
As that generation grows older and many of them leave this Earth, it is 
important that their sacrifices, their acts of heroism, their 
accomplishments, and, of course, their names not be forgotten. It would 
be a great mistake for us to forget how the lives we live today, the 
freedoms we cherish, and the comforts we enjoy were earned by the 
heroism of Sergeant Ruiz, the blood of his fellow soldiers, and the 
sacrifice of an entire Nation.
  Madam Speaker, upon enactment of this bill, the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic located at 1700 West 
Main Street in Artesia, New Mexico, will bear the name of Alejandro 
Renteria Ruiz, the son, citizen, and defender of a grateful Nation.
  I thank Chairman Filner for his support, and I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. BUYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BUYER. I would like to thank Mr. Teague for bringing this 
legislation and thank Mr. Filner for bringing it to the floor.
  Any time I get to read the history and hear the stories of such 
extraordinary Americans, it's only fitting that we can actually place 
their name on such buildings that are going to be able to care for so 
many people. This is a very fitting memorial to his service to country.
  Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4307, a bill to rename the Artesia 
Community Outpatient Clinic after Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, a much 
decorated World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater and is 
a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
  Ruiz received the Medal of Honor during the World War II conquest of 
the Japanese island of Okinawa on April 28, 1945. Master Sgt. Ruiz 
summoned the courage to charge a Japanese pillbox under a hail of 
machine gun fire and was able to neutralize it. He singlehandedly saved 
the lives of his 165th infantry comrades and eliminated an obstacle 
that would have checked his unit's advance. When his comrades 
recommended him for the Medal of Honor, Ruiz did not want to hear their 
accolades, instead choosing to focus on daily battles in Okinawa. Such 
courage and humility makes for an extraordinary person and soldier.
  Ruiz is a hero who continued to serve his nation in the military, 
serving in the Korean War and retiring as a Master Sergeant in the mid 
1960s. He lived at the Veterans Home in Yountville, Calif., near Napa 
and recently passed away on November 20th, 2009.

[[Page H4921]]

  Ruiz frequently attended veteran reunions once he retired from the 
military, as well as Veteran Commemorate Conventions to honor his 
comrades. At these conventions, he stressed the importance of Japanese 
and American cooperation and understanding. Even though he had fought 
the Japanese during the war, he agreed that today America and Japan are 
friends and allies and fervently upheld a message of peace.
  Ruiz is also among forty-three men of Hispanic heritage who have been 
awarded the Medal of Honor. His story should inspire every American.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4307. Passage of 
this bill is an appropriate way to honor a great American. I thank Mr. 
Teague for introducing this bill, and Chairman Filner for moving this 
bill to the floor for consideration.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Teague) for 
bringing us this important resolution.
  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. 4307.
  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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