[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 7, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H1545-H1547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FALEOMAVAEGA ENI FA'AUA'A HUNKIN VA CLINIC
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1362) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-
based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega
Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1362
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, PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN
SAMOA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based
outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, shall after
the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated
as the ``Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic''. Any
reference
[[Page H1546]]
to such community-based outpatient clinic in any law,
regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the
United States shall be considered to be a reference to the
Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr.
Walz) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from American Samoa.
General Leave
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
add extraneous materials.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from American Samoa?
There was no objection.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1362, a bill to name the
Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA
Clinic.
I have sponsored this bill in order to honor my predecessor and a
true public servant, the Honorable Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin.
Born on August 15, 1943, in Vailoatai Village, American Samoa, Mr.
Faleomavaega graduated from Brigham Young University in 1966 and
subsequently joined the United States Army and served in Vietnam.
However, his career in the Army was just the beginning of his public
service. Mr. Faleomavaega served as a staff member to A.U. Fuimaono,
American Samoa's first Delegate at-large to Washington, D.C., from 1973
to 1975.
Having earned his law degree from the University of Houston, he next
served as staff counsel to the Committee on the Interior and Insular
Affairs.
In 1981, Mr. Faleomavaega returned to American Samoa to serve as our
deputy attorney general until 1984, then as our lieutenant governor
until 1989. During this period, Mr. Faleomavaega reentered military
service in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989.
In 1989, Mr. Faleomavaega began his tenure as the congressional
Delegate from American Samoa. He went on to win 13 consecutive terms,
making him the longest serving Delegate to date from American Samoa.
While in Congress, he diligently served the interests of his
constituents as a member of both the House Committee on Foreign
Relations and the Committee on Natural Resources.
Sadly, my friend Eni Faleomavaega passed away on February 22. He is
survived by his wife, 5 children, and 10 grandchildren.
I would now like to say a few personal words about the man whom I
came to call a true friend.
Given that I challenged him for his seat from 1994 until 2014, when I
won my first term, Eni and I had a long and complicated relationship.
Though we were often at odds politically, we always treated one another
with the utmost respect and grace, allowing us to form a shared bond
that I am very thankful for and will never forget.
Ours was a true friendship that demonstrated that, despite whatever
political differences we may have, we can all come together for the
good of those we serve. While we may have had disagreements on national
issues, we were very much in sync when it came to Federal policy and
funding for American Samoa.
As a veteran whose long-term health suffered due to his service in
Vietnam, Eni dedicated his life to improving conditions for veterans in
American Samoa and took great pride in securing funds to build the
local VA clinic which has served our veterans well.
Therefore, I can think of no better way to memorialize his dedication
to the people of American Samoa and his service to our country in
uniform than having the local VA clinic in Pago Pago, which he worked
so hard for, named in his honor.
I want to encourage my colleagues in the House and Senate to salute
my predecessor by supporting this measure so that we may honor this
good man for his lifelong service and dedication to the people of
American Samoa and to veterans everywhere.
This legislation satisfies all of the committee's naming criteria and
is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Number 3391.
Once again, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1362. This tribute to our
fellow colleague, a fellow veteran, our friend Eni, who passed last
month, is truly well deserved.
I would also like to thank the gentlewoman from American Samoa for
bringing this bill to the floor. And just as importantly, in her time
here, she has proven to be the staunchest advocate of this Nation's
veterans, a true friend to veterans, and a colleague who carries on
Eni's commitment to this unwaveringly.
Eni devoted his public life to service, it was clear, ensuring that
the unique needs and interests of the people of American Samoa were met
in every bill that came through this body. For any of us who worked
alongside him during those 13 terms, his unfailing commitment to his
people and his ever-present smile will never be forgotten.
In addition to his work here and the things you heard the gentlewoman
say, Eni served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1969 and as an
officer in the United States Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989. He served
honorably in the Vietnam war and left the military with the rank of
captain.
He and his wife were also active members of their church, The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As a Vietnam veteran and Army Reserve captain, congressional aide,
lieutenant governor, and Member of Congress, there simply could be no
better example of what it means to be a representative of his people
and a citizen of this great Nation.
I fully support the naming of this outpatient clinic at Pago Pago in
his honor and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time until all Members have had an opportunity to speak on each side.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the
Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan), another true champion of our
veterans and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1362, a bill
that honors the late former Delegate from American Samoa, Eni
Faleomavaega, by naming the veterans community-based outpatient clinic
in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA
Clinic.
A Vietnam veteran himself, Eni worked tirelessly to secure this
clinic for veterans in American Samoa. His efforts to ensure all
veterans in his district enrolled in VA health care, to secure rent-
free space for the clinic through an agreement with the United States
Army Reserve, and his testimony to the VA's CARES Commission resulted
in a recommendation that a clinic be established and eventually led to
the approval of the clinic by the Veterans Administration.
Eni was relentless in his pursuit of this goal so his fellow veterans
in American Samoa would no longer have to travel more than 2,000 miles
to Honolulu to seek care at a VA facility. It is fitting that it now be
named after him.
Eni was someone I looked to as a leader. He was the dean of the
Territories Caucus when I first came to Congress in 2009. He had served
here for some 20 years by that point; but his experience was even more
longstanding, having worked on the staff of Representative Philip
Burton, a champion of the territories and all of the people in America
who are often overlooked and forgotten.
There were two things in particular I saw in Eni. First, he had
absolutely no hesitation in representing the people of American Samoa
and providing glimpses of the culture with the rest of us. He relished
the opportunity to wear his lavalava, one of the traditional pieces of
clothing. He took pride in his traditional tattooing. He never
hesitated to
[[Page H1547]]
sing the songs of his people 8,000 miles away.
Though a Delegate in this House, Eni Faleomavaega never presented
himself as anything less than a Member of Congress. In doing so, he
never diminished the standing of his constituents and their right, like
all Americans, to have their voice heard here in the people's House.
The second lesson I learned from our departed friend was that the
responsibilities of a Member of Congress go beyond the parochial
concerns of our district. Of course, we are here to be sure that the
people and place we represent are treated fairly and that our special
circumstances are taken well into account in the formulation of Federal
law and policy; but beyond that local responsibility, we all have a
larger responsibility to act and speak on behalf of our Nation as a
whole.
Eni certainly demonstrated that larger role we must all accept by his
advocacy for Native Americans and by taking leadership in the foreign
affairs of our Nation, especially in Asia and the island nations of the
South Pacific. A good Member of Congress takes care of their own
people, just as Eni did. A great Member of Congress understands that
their people can only thrive when the Nation as a whole is a place of
justice and peace.
Those are the lessons I learned from knowing Eni Faleomavaega, and
for what he taught me, I will forever be grateful.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us in passing
this important piece of legislation. When those veterans in American
Samoa see Eni's name, it will strike them about what he has done and
the work that he did here in Congress.
I would also like to give a heartfelt thanks again to the gentlewoman
for bringing this bill forward and for honoring her friend the way she
has.
I encourage Members to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers at this time.
Once again, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1362 a
bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based
outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa the Faleomavaega Eni
Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic. This is a fitting way to honor the life and
service of my good friend and colleague former Congressman Eni
Faleomavaega of American Samoa. During his 26 years of service in the
House of Representatives, Congressman Faleomavaega displayed unwavering
commitment to addressing a wide range of issues affecting veterans in
the Pacific. His focus on access to health care and veteran services in
remote areas of the Pacific ensured that veterans had access to the
critical resources and services they needed and deserved after serving
their country. His efforts directly contributed to increasing the
quality of life of veterans throughout the Pacific region. Naming the
VA facility in Pago Pago in his honor is a tribute to his service and
commitment to the veterans in the Pacific region.
Congressman Faleomavaega's compassion for veterans can be attributed
to his own service as an Army officer during the Vietnam conflict.
Serving in this capacity gave him firsthand knowledge of the sacrifices
servicemen make to protect our way of life.
I deeply miss Eni's advice, friendship and compassion for veterans.
His passing has created a void for all that have known him. On behalf
of the people of Guam, I extend my condolences to his family and the
people of American Samoa. Our lives are richer for knowing Eni. I also
extend my appreciation to Congresswoman Radewagen in putting forward
this legislation. It is a very appropriate way to memorialize an
important part of Eni's work on behalf of the people of American Samoa.
Un dangkulo na si Yu'os ma'ase (with deepest gratitude), Eni. You are
deeply missed.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
March 7, 2017, on page H1547, the following appeared: Ms.
BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1362 a
bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based
outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa the Faleomavaega
Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic. This is a fitting way to honor the
life and service of my good friend and colleague former
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa. During his 26
years of service in the House of Representatives, Congressman
Faleomavaega displayed unwavering commitment to addressing a wide
range of issues affecting veterans in the Pacific. His focus on
access to health care and veteran services in remote areas of the
Pacific ensured that veterans had access to the critical resources
and services they needed and deserved after serving their country.
His efforts directly contributed to increasing the quality of life
of veterans throughout the Pacific region. Naming the VA facility
in Pago Pago in his honor is a tribute to his service and
commitment to the veterans in the Pacific region. Congressman
Faleomavaega's compassion for veterans can be attributed to his
own service as an Army officer during the Vietnam conflict.
Serving in this capacity gave him firsthand knowledge of the
sacrifices servicemen make to protect our way of life. I deeply
miss Eni's advice, friendship and compassion for veterans. His
passing has created a void for all that have known him. On behalf
of the people of Guam, I extend my condolences to his family and
the people of American Samoa. Our lives are richer for knowing
Eni. I also extend my appreciation to Congresswoman RADEWAGEN in
putting forward this legislation. It is a very appropriate way to
memorialize an important part of Eni's work on behalf of the
people of American Samoa. Un dangkulo na si Yu'os ma'ase (with
deepest gratitude), Eni. You are deeply missed.
The online version has been corrected to reflect that the whole
section has been reset in Helvetica font.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1362.
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. WALZ. Mr. 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, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________