[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 186 (Monday, December 16, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H7173-H7174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JAMES MOUNTAIN INHOFE VA MEDICAL CENTER
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(S. 5314) to designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical
Center.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 5314
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF JAMES MOUNTAIN INHOFE VA MEDICAL
CENTER.
(a) Designation.--The medical center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs under construction as of the date of the
enactment of this Act at 440 South Houston Avenue, Tulsa,
Oklahoma, shall after such date of enactment be known and
designated as the ``James Mountain Inhofe Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' or the ``James Mountain
Inhofe VA Medical Center''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
medical center referred to in subsection (a) shall be
considered to be a reference to the James Mountain Inhofe VA
Medical Center.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Self). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
S. 5314.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 5314, a bill to designate
the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, as the James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center.
Senator James Inhofe was born in 1934 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was
drafted into the Army in 1956 and served until 1958. After serving in
Oklahoma State politics and serving as the mayor of Tulsa, Senator
Inhofe was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives representing
Oklahoma's First District.
Senator Inhofe then represented the State of Oklahoma in the United
States Senate from 1994 until 2023. Senator Inhofe chaired the Senate
Armed Services Committee, and was instrumental in passing legislation
which ensures our Nation's defense and the well-being of our
servicemembers.
{time} 1645
Senator Inhofe will be remembered for his long legacy of public
service, from the U.S. Army to the U.S. Senate, and I am proud to name
this VA medical center after him.
Anyone who knew Senator Inhofe knew how much he cared for our
Nation's men and women in uniform. I thank the sponsor of this bill,
Senator Lankford, as well as the entire Oklahoma delegation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 5314, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise to express my support for S. 5314, a bill to designate the
medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, as the James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center, introduced by
Senator Lankford of Oklahoma.
[[Page H7174]]
This legislation is a fitting tribute to the long and dedicated
service of former U.S. Senator James Inhofe, whose legacy is defined by
his unwavering commitment to serving Oklahoma's veterans and ensuring
that they receive the care and services they have earned.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Senator Inhofe served in the Army before
becoming a Senator. He demonstrated a lifelong commitment to service to
his community until his death earlier this year.
As we continue to make investments and support construction projects
to improve veterans' access to care at VA facilities, we will remember
Senator Inhofe's tireless support of the new VA facility that is
currently under construction and that will soon bear his name.
Mr. Speaker, I support S. 5314 and ask that my colleagues do the
same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Hern), my good friend.
Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great honor and pride to the
legacy of the remarkable Oklahoma Senator James Mountain Inhofe and to
support S. 5314, a bill sponsored by my colleague Senator Lankford to
name the new VA medical center in Tulsa after this towering figure in
our State's history, and I would argue, in our Nation's history.
This new 275,000-square-foot, 58-bed medical-surgical VA hospital
will bear the name of James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center, a
fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his career to championing our
military, our veterans, and their families.
Senator Inhofe's legacy of service is unmatched. From his early days
as mayor of Tulsa to his decades in the Senate, he fought tirelessly
for the men and women who wear the uniform of this Nation.
I thank Senator Lankford for leading this effort in the Senate and
for ensuring the unanimous passage of this important bill.
It was an honor to introduce companion legislation in the House
alongside the Oklahoma delegation, knowing how much this hospital's
name will mean to our veterans and their families.
For those of us privileged to call Senator Inhofe a friend, this is
deeply personal. His unwavering dedication to our State and our Nation,
his tireless advocacy for those who served, and his steadfast
leadership left an indelible mark on every corner of Oklahoma.
Naming this hospital in his honor ensures his legacy will endure,
reminding us all of the standard he set as a public servant.
Oklahomans knew Senator Inhofe as their Senator, their mayor, their
advocate, and most importantly, their friend. This designation is more
than a tribute. It is a promise to carry forward his commitment to the
men and women who sacrificed so much for the freedom of our Nation.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am ready to
close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 5314 to designate
the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, as the James Mountain Inhofe VA Medical Center.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, S. 5314.
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.
____________________