[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE BIG SPRING VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER FOR 60 YEARS 
                               OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RANDY NEUGEBAUER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2010

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Madam Speaker, in his second inaugural address, 
Abraham Lincoln stated ``. . . to care for him who shall have borne the 
battle and for his widow and his orphan . . .'' It is those same words 
that grace the steps of the headquarters of the Veterans 
Administration, representing the sacred duty we owe to the men and 
women who wore the uniform of this great nation.
  Some have worn this uniform voluntarily, others by conscription. 
Others made a life of service in the military their career, often 
passed down from one generation to the next. The United States 
generally and west Texas in particular have had a long and proud 
history of giving thanks to our veterans. Today, American's all-
volunteer force is one composed of men and women willing to risk their 
lives in defense of freedom and liberty for America and her allies, and 
in return we owe to them a debt of gratitude.
  As part of that gratitude, the Big Spring Veterans Affairs Medical 
Center serves veterans from a 53-county area in west Texas and part of 
New Mexico. For 60 years now, the Big Spring VAMC has been an 
institution helping veterans young and old recover from wounds suffered 
on the field of battle. Without this facility, rural veterans would be 
at a significant disadvantage in receiving the specialty care many of 
them have earned. The Big Spring VAMC is a living testament to the men 
and women of our armed forces.
  The Big Spring VAMC provides a wide range of patient care services, 
including inpatient and outpatient care as well as residential 
rehabilitation. The hospital is currently expanding to meet the needs 
of more veterans with a 40-bed residential rehabilitation unit expected 
to be completed later this year. Through many changes, the Big Spring 
community has stood in strong support of the hospital and the veterans 
it serves. I join the community in thanking the Big Spring VMAC for 60 
years of service and offer best wishes for many more years to come.

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