[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 145 (Monday, September 26, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5905-H5906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DR. OTIS BOWEN VETERAN HOUSE
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5509) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs
temporary lodging facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the ``Dr. Otis
Bowen Veteran House''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5509
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 TEMPORARY
LODGING FACILITY, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs temporary lodging
facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, shall after the date of
the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the
``Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran House''. Any reference to such
temporary lodging facility in any law, regulation, map,
document, record, or other paper of the United States shall
be considered to be a reference to the Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran
House.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Indiana.
General Leave
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Indiana?
There was no objection.
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5509, which will
formally rename the home for families of veterans undergoing medical
treatment in Indianapolis as the Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran House. Passing
this bill today is the least we can do to repay an individual who gave
so much of himself to serving our Nation, to providing care to his
neighbors as a family physician, and to supporting our veterans.
As a lifelong Hoosier, Dr. Bowen was born and raised in Indiana and
later went on to receive his bachelor's and his medical degree from
Indiana University. As a newly minted doctor, ``Doc,'' as he became
known, courageously served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. During
his service in World War II, he bravely tended wounded servicemen
during the first wave of Allied troops in the invasion of Okinawa in
1945.
After serving his country, Doc Bowen came home to Indiana and set up
a family medical practice in his hometown of Bremen, Indiana. During
his 26 years of private practice, he delivered over 3,000 babies in a
town with a population of just over 4,500 people.
It was during this time that he also became involved with Indiana
politics. Rising all the way from local coroner to speaker of the
Indiana House of Representatives and, eventually, one of our State's
most popular Governors, Doc Bowen consistently won the trust and
respect of Hoosiers with his patented bedside manner.
As Governor, Doc Bowen drew upon his war experiences as a combat
physician to improve healthcare services in Indiana by pioneering a
statewide emergency medical services system.
Upon leaving office in 1981, Doc Bowen served as a professor of
medicine and director of undergraduate medical practice education at
the IU Medical Center in Indianapolis.
Doc Bowen returned to public service in 1985, when he answered the
call of President Ronald Reagan to become the first doctor to serve as
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. There he
spearheaded the Federal Government's response to the spread of AIDS,
promoted public awareness of the dangers of the disease, and worked
toward its eradication.
Throughout his career, Doc Bowen was active in our community as a
force for good and advocate for others. Most notably, Doc Bowen was an
active member of the American Legion post in Bremen for 59 years. He
was also a member of the VFW, the American Medical Association, and he
sat on the board of the Lilly Endowment, a philanthropic organization
based in Indianapolis.
Through Doc Bowen's leadership on the Board of the Lilly Endowment,
the Richard L. Roudebush Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
secured a $9.9 million charitable grant to construct a home for the
families of veterans undergoing surgery at the center.
As a doctor, Doc Bowen knew that love is a vital component of the
healing process and that a family can't dedicate their time and energy
to the recovery process when they have to worry about where their next
meal might be coming from or where they might lay their heads at night
while visiting their family members at the hospital.
Unfortunately, in 2013, Doc Bowen passed away at the age of 95.
Throughout his career, he touched so many Hoosiers and always worked to
enrich the lives of others through selfless sacrifice, hard work, and
dedication. The eulogy of Pastor Rhode at his funeral summed up Doc's
life most eloquently when he said: ``He only sought to work for others.
He took the talents and gifts God gave him and used them to his
fullest.''
{time} 1930
This is a lesson we all can learn from and is the reason I am proud
to support
[[Page H5906]]
this bill. I also want to thank all of my Hoosier colleagues from both
sides of the aisle who signed on and support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join my colleague, the gentlewoman
from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) in supporting H.R. 5509, a bill to name the
Department of Veterans Affairs temporary lodging facility in
Indianapolis, Indiana, as the Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran House.
Dr. Bowen was born near Rochester, Indiana. He graduated from Indiana
University and received his M.D. degree from Indiana University School
of Medicine. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Medical
Corps from 1943 to 1946, and was with the first wave of Allied troops
in the invasion of Okinawa in 1945, and was honorably discharged as a
captain in 1946.
When he returned home, he began his private practice, acquiring a
respected place in Bremen, Indiana, as the country doctor.
After serving in the Indiana Legislature for 14 years, Dr. Bowen was
elected the 44th Governor of Indiana and ultimately served as the
Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Ronald Reagan.
I am very pleased to support this legislation and urge its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my dear
friend and colleague from California (Mr. Takano) for those remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs.
Walorski). She is my dear friend from northern Indiana who has also
served on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative
Brooks from Indiana. I am thrilled to stand here tonight and be a part
of naming this facility in Indianapolis the Dr. Otis Bowen Veteran
House.
Dr. Bowen spent most of his life in my district, Indiana's Second
District. He was the consummate Hoosier, known for his personal
integrity and leadership in service to this Nation and the State of
Indiana.
His nickname was Doc, as he was affectionately known, and I would be
one person knocking on his door every so often just to check in and see
how he was doing. He had a wall of fame in his house like none other. I
would love to just sit and listen to his words of wisdom over the
years. He was born in Rochester, Indiana, in Fulton County. He
graduated from Francesville High School. To this day, today, all of
those areas in those counties are proud that he actually resided in
those areas.
He received his medical degree from IU in 1942, completed his
residency at Memorial Hospital of South Bend, joined the U.S. Medical
Army Corps, was part of the first wave of troops to storm the beaches
of Okinawa during World War II. After leaving the service, he started a
family practice in Bremen, Indiana. In 1952, Doc began his career in
public service, serving as Marshall County coroner in 1956, when he was
elected to the Indiana House of Representatives. He was elected
Governor of Indiana in 1972 and reelected in 1976.
In 1985, Ronald Reagan appointed him as the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Service, the first medical doctor to
serve in that role.
His commitment to serving Hoosiers made him one of the most adored
public servants in the State of Indiana. His dedication is exemplified
by the fact that after all these accomplishments and awards, he said
his proudest achievement was delivering those 3,000 babies as a family
physician in Marshall County.
I can't think of a more deserving person to name this facility after.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I urge my
colleagues to support H.R. 5509.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, before we conclude, I would like to take a moment to
personally thank Chairman Miller for all that he has done throughout
his tenure in the House of Representatives and in shepherding this
bill. I also would like to thank his staff who have helped us bring
this bill to the floor.
The people of Florida's First Congressional District couldn't have
asked for a more dedicated public servant. The work that Chairman
Miller has done to advance the rights and care of veterans is truly
remarkable.
Whether it was in the trenches of war for Doc Bowen or in political
office or at his doctor's office, Doc Bowen had a clear passion for
serving others. However, he always reserved a special place in his
heart for his fellow veterans, like Chairman Miller. That is why it is
only appropriate that the house--the home--that he helped build for
veterans and their families carry his name and serve as a permanent
reminder of the character and fortitude of this legendary man.
Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge passage today.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5509.
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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