[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H7185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING VIRGINIA STRATTON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa 
(Mr. Loebsack) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to honor 
one of my longtime district staffers, Virginia Stratton, who retired 
recently.
  Virginia had been with my office, serving the people of Iowa, since I 
first came into office in January 2007. Since then, she has handled 
more than 3,300 cases for Iowans having issues with the Department of 
Defense, the Department of Labor, and the Postal Service; but, by far, 
the largest portion of her cases involved the Veterans Administration.
  As I travel across my district, all 24 counties, meeting with 
veterans, it never fails that one of the first things I hear is about 
how hard Virginia fought on their behalf or on behalf of their loved 
ones to cut through the redtape at the VA.
  Whether it was securing medals for veterans who served but didn't 
receive their proper recognition, or helping expedite a disability 
appeal, there was nothing--and I say nothing--Virginia would not do to 
ensure our veterans received the assistance that they needed. I always 
knew that if Virginia was on the case, there would be no stone left 
unturned and no question left unasked. She worked every day for the 
past 10 years to ensure our veterans received the care they earned and 
rightly deserved.
  As a military parent myself, I believe we have no greater 
responsibility as a nation than to ensure our veterans are treated with 
the same dignity and honor with which they served our country. There is 
no one--no one, folks--who epitomizes that sentiment more than 
Virginia. She has been one of the greatest champions for veterans, and 
there was no issue that was too small or too great for her to take on.
  In the nearly 10 years that Virginia worked for my office, she 
literally personally affected the lives of thousands of Iowans. 
Virginia's retirement is a loss for the people of Iowa, but the efforts 
and hours she invested in working on behalf of our veterans will never 
be forgotten. On behalf of the people of Iowa and all of the veterans 
of America, my wife Terry and I wish Virginia the best in the next 
chapter of her life.

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