[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 175 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8455-H8457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SY KAPLAN VETERANS CENTER

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7925) to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs in Palm Desert, California, as the ``Sy Kaplan 
Veterans Center'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7925

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan was born on February 28, 1924.
       (2) Sergeant Kaplan served in the United States Army from 
     1942 to 1945 as a combat engineer.
       (3) Sergeant Kaplan served in the 2d, 4th, and 14th Armored 
     Divisions, seeing service in North Africa, Italy, and France.
       (4) Sergeant Kaplan rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant 
     and earned 3 Battle Stars and 2 Purple Hearts.
       (5) Sergeant Kaplan served under General George Patton at 
     the Battle of the Bulge and received 2 Purple Hearts for his 
     service.
       (6) In April 1945, Sergeant Kaplan was grievously wounded 
     in an enemy mortar attack in Czechoslovakia and returned to 
     the United States a wounded warrior.
       (7) Sergeant Kaplan served as Commander of the Disabled 
     American Veterans, Chapter 78 (Coachella Valley) for many 
     years.
       (8) Sergeant Kaplan was instrumental in the opening of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Palm Desert.
       (9) Sergeant Kaplan personally provided countless local 
     veterans with advice and assistance in obtaining their earned 
     Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.
       (10) Sergeant Kaplan received the Senior Inspiration Award 
     from Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson in 2001.
       (11) Wilson also appointed Sergeant Kaplan the first chair 
     of the Desert Palms Community Council.

     SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                   COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATED IN 
                   PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     community-based outpatient clinic located in Palm Desert, 
     California, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act 
     be known and designated as the ``Sy Kaplan VA Clinic''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Sy Kaplan VA Clinic''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include extraneous material on H.R. 7925, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Technical Sergeant 
Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan, a wounded warrior, a World War II veteran, and a 
decades-long advocate for other veterans living in the Coachella Valley 
of southern California.
  I thank my colleague, a fellow Californian and member of the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, Dr. Raul Ruiz, for his work on this bill, 
which will designate a brand-new VA outpatient clinic in Palm Desert, 
California, the Sy Kaplan VA Clinic.
  The state-of-the-art Palm Desert clinic provides primary care, 
behavioral health services, and preventative medicine to thousands of 
veterans in the Inland Empire as part of VA's Loma Linda Healthcare 
System.
  Sergeant Kaplan enlisted in the military in 1942 and served overseas 
as a combat engineer in northern Africa, Italy, and France. He fought 
under

[[Page H8456]]

General Patton in the Battle of the Bulge, which helped ensure Allied 
victory in the Second World War. In 1945, he was seriously wounded by 
an enemy mortar attack during a bridge-building mission in 
Czechoslovakia.
  For his heroism, Sergeant Kaplan earned three battle stars and two 
Purple Hearts and returned home 100 percent disabled.
  His injuries did not impede Sergeant Kaplan's unwavering commitment 
to our Nation's veterans, however. For 25 years, he served as commander 
of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 78 in the Coachella Valley. In 
this role, Sergeant Kaplan assisted countless veterans, helping ease 
their transition back to civilian life and providing them with a tight-
knit sense of community.
  His passion, leadership, and sense of purpose were evident to all who 
knew him.
  Following a lifetime of service, Sergeant Kaplan passed away in April 
2019, not long after celebrating his 95th birthday. His legacy 
continues, however, in the grateful community of those whose lives he 
touched.
  I am happy to know that for generations of veterans to come, this VA 
facility will honor Sergeant Kaplan's memory.
  H.R. 7925, as amended, has been endorsed by The American Legion, DAV, 
and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 1925 
from The American Legion, VFW, and Disabled American Veterans, as well 
as the California delegation.

                                              The American Legion,


                                     Department of California,

                                        Sanger, CA, July 18, 2022.
     Hon. Raul Ruiz, M.D.,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Ruiz: On behalf of The American Legion, 
     Department of California, we thank you for your continued 
     leadership in advocating for the more than I 20,000 veterans 
     living in Riverside County. TAL Department of California is 
     proud to support your legislation, designating the outpatient 
     clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Palm Desert, 
     California, as the, Sy Kaplan Veterans Center''.
       By naming the Palm Desert outpatient clinic after United 
     States Army Technical Sergeant, Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan, not 
     only memorializes his contributions and sacrifices made 
     fighting in North Africa, Italy and France during World War 
     II, but also underscores his significant contributions 
     towards Veterans Advocacy in the Palm Desert area. This 
     advocacy was instrumental in the opening of the very VA 
     clinic your legislation hopes to name after him.
       Thank you again for your leadership and advocacy of all 
     veterans. TAL Department of California recognizes all the 
     work that went into this effort and wholeheartedly supports 
     this legislation. Moreover, we hope this bill will be passed 
     and signed into law most expeditiously.
           Sincerely,

                                       Jere Romano, Commander,

                                    The American Legion Department
     of California.
                                  ____



                                     Veterans of Foreign Wars,

                                                     June 6, 2022.
     Rep. Raul Ruiz,
     Washington DC.
       Dear Hon. Representative Ruiz, MD: The Veterans of Foreign 
     Wars, Department of California takes great pleasure in 
     supporting your bill to name the VA's Outpatient Clinic 
     building in Palm Desert, CA as the Sy Kaplan Veterans Center.
       Sergeant Kaplan's service to our country in WWII is 
     impressive. He not only gave his all during his service, but 
     he also continued that back at home in service to veterans 
     and with the same commitment. His legacy is worthy of and in 
     line with this Department's desires to pay honor to our 
     servicemen and women by naming California veteran facilities 
     after them.
       On behalf of the 61,000+ combat veterans of this 
     Department, we thank you for recognizing our nation's heroes.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Dawn M. Napier,
     State Commander.
                                  ____



                                   Disabled American Veterans,

                                  San Diego, CA, December 5, 2021.
     Hon. Raul Ruiz M.D.
       Dear Congressman Ruiz: I am writing this letter of 
     endorsement to rename the Desert Clinic the Seymour (Sy) 
     Kaplan Desert Clinic. This is an Honor he richly deserves. 
     Mr. Kaplan, a force to be reckoned with, was the catalyst in 
     the establishment of the clinic. His tireless commitment to 
     all veterans was inspiring. A highly decorated war hero, Mr. 
     Kaplan spent a lifetime giving to the veteran community, not 
     only in the desert community but the State of California.
       I thank you in advance for all your consideration in this 
     matter.
     Nancy Casey,
       Department of California DAV, Jr. Vice Commander, National 
     Service Officer, Disabled American Veterans.
                                  ____

                                                 November 1, 2022.
     Hon. Jon Tester,
     Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jerry Moran,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Moran: We write in 
     support of H.R. 7925, legislation to rename the Palm Desert 
     Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic after 
     Sy Kaplan.
       Sy Kaplan served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 as a 
     combat engineer. He rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant 
     and earned three Battle Stars and two Purple Hearts. In April 
     1945 he was grievously wounded in an enemy mortar attack in 
     Czechoslovakia and returned to the U.S. a wounded warrior.
       When he retired, Mr. Kaplan served as Commander of the 
     Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 78 (Coachella Valley) for 
     many years, where he personally provided countless local 
     veterans with advice and assistance in obtaining their earned 
     VA benefits. Additionally, he was instrumental in the opening 
     of the VA Clinic in Palm Desert which we wish to name in his 
     honor.
       Mr. Kaplan was recognized for his work within his community 
     and received the Senior Inspiration Award from Riverside 
     County Supervisor Roy Wilson in 2001 and was appointed the 
     first chair of the Desert Palms Community Council.
       We hope that you will swiftly advance H.R. 7925 to 
     recognize this true war hero and pillar of the community by 
     supporting our bill to rename the Palm Desert VA outpatient 
     clinic the Sy Kaplan Veterans Center.
           Sincerely,
       Raul Ruiz, M.D., Dianne Feinstein, Alex Padilla, Kevin 
     McCarthy, Mark Takano, Jared Huffman, Ami Bera, M.D., Nancy 
     Pelosi, Doug LaMalfa, Mike Thompson, Jay Obernolte, Jerry 
     McNerney, Mark DeSaulnier, Jackie Speier, Jim Costa, Anna G. 
     Eshoo, Josh Harder, Barbara Lee, Eric Swalwell, Ro Khanna, 
     Zoe Lofgren; Members of Congress.
       Salud Carbajal, Brad Sherman, Grace F. Napolitano, Karen 
     Bass, Ken Calvert, Judy Chu, Pete Aguilar, Norma J. Torres, 
     Lucille Roybal-Allard, Katie Porter, J. Luis Correa, Michelle 
     Steel, Juan Vargas, Darrell Issa, Linda T. Sanchez, Alan S. 
     Lowenthal, Mike Levin, Scott H. Peters, David G. Valadao, 
     Doris Matsui; Members of Congress.
       Jimmy Gomez, Mike Garcia, Adam B. Schiff, John Garamendi, 
     Maxine Waters, Jimmy Panetta, Ted Lieu, Tony Cardenas, Tom 
     McClintock, Young Kim, Julia Brownley, Connie Conway; Members 
     of Congress.

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Dr. Ruiz and all of our 
fellow members of the California delegation for their support of this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLZEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7925, as amended, a bill 
to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in Palm Desert California as the Sy Kaplan Veterans Center.
  Sy Kaplan enlisted in the Army at age 18. He served in World War II 
as a combat engineer in the 2nd, 4th, and 14th Armored Divisions during 
the North Africa campaign and the liberation of Italy and in France. In 
that service, he earned three battle stars and two Purple Hearts. He 
rose to the rank of technical sergeant.
  At the end of the war, in 1945, he was seriously wounded by an enemy 
mortar attack in the former Czechoslovakia and returned to the United 
States due to his injuries.
  Following his return, he started and operated his own construction 
company. He retired in 1991 and moved to California, as everybody did.
  Sergeant Kaplan embraced his new community, where he personally 
provided countless local veterans with advice and assistance in 
obtaining and earning their VA benefits.
  He served as the commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 
78 in Coachella Valley for many years, and, of course, he played an 
instrumental role in establishing the VA clinic in Palm Desert.
  Sergeant Kaplan dedicated his life to service and, most importantly, 
to helping his fellow veterans. Having his name on this VA clinic will 
continue his legacy of inspiration.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 7925, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H8457]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7925, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient 
clinic located in Palm Desert, California, as the `Sy Kaplan VA 
Clinic'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________