[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5387-H5388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LYLE C. PEARSON COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3682) to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of
the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 1961 Premier Drive in
Mankato, Minnesota, as the ``Lyle C. Pearson Community-Based Outpatient
Clinic''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3682
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. LYLE C. PEARSON COMMUNITY BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC.
(a) Designation.--The community based outpatient clinic of
the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 1961 Premier
Drive in Mankato, Minnesota, shall be known and designated as
the ``Lyle C. Pearson Community Based Outpatient Clinic''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
clinic referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Lyle C. Pearson Community Based Outpatient
Clinic''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
General Leave
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 3682.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3682, which is sponsored by my
good friend and colleague and fellow committee member on the Veterans'
Affairs Committee, Representative Tim Walz, from Minnesota.
H.R. 3682 would name the VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in
Mankato, Minnesota, the Lyle C. Pearson Community-Based Outpatient
Clinic.
{time} 1630
Lyle Pearson was a World War II prisoner of war who received the
Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Clusters, and the Purple
Heart for his service.
He was also a lifelong public servant, serving as the Disabled
American Veterans National Commander from 1975 to 1976.
Recognizing Lyle's service and his sacrifice by naming the CBOC in
Mankato after him is a fitting and appropriate honor.
I am grateful to Representative Walz for sponsoring this legislation
and urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3682.
[[Page H5388]]
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank my colleague and friend from Colorado for his kind
words and his work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I am proud to
serve with him.
I rise today in support of H.R. 3682, which designates the Department
of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Mankato,
Minnesota, as the Lyle C. Pearson Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
Lyle Pearson was the true definition of an American hero. Through his
lifelong dedication of service, both in and out of uniform, Lyle left a
profound and everlasting impact on southern Minnesota and this country
as a whole.
Lyle served in the skies over Europe as a B-17 pilot with the 15th
Air Force during World War II. He completed 15 combat missions over
occupied territory. In December 1944, Lyle's aircraft was shot down
over Italy. Surviving the horrors of the shoot-down, Lyle was a
prisoner of war from December of 1944 to May of 1945. For his actions
in combat as a POW, Lyle was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross,
the Air Medal with Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Like so many of his colleagues, the distinguished service that he
served in uniform might have only been outpaced by what he did after he
came back home. After the war, Lyle rejoined his wife on their family
farm, but his desire to serve was strong.
Beginning in 1957, Lyle administered programs for the Nicollet County
juvenile court and Nicollet County court services, first as the chief
probation officer, then as the director of court services. He helped
turn around countless lives of many troubled youth in his time with the
Nicollet County juvenile courts, earning Minnesota Corrections Officer
of the Year in 1969.
One of Lyle's biggest impacts was helping his fellow veterans. He
served his entire life helping other veterans and, as you heard from my
colleague, he served as national commander of the Disabled American
Veterans. He also spent 49 years as the adjutant of his local chapter.
He dedicated over half a century of service to the St. Peter State
Hospital, was a 4-H club leader, and was active with his church
throughout his entire life.
Through all of this, Lyle was a husband, a father of seven children,
and a stalwart in his community.
Lyle's dedication to duty, his community, and this country reflected
upon himself and was in keeping with the finest ideals of service,
selflessness, and giving, making him the ideal namesake for the Mankato
Community-Based Outreach Clinic that will serve so many of our fellow
veterans.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to work with my colleague,
Representative Walz, on this fine piece of legislation honoring someone
very deserving of this honor and the naming of this clinic.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of our Members and colleagues
to support H.R. 3682, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3682.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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