[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17414]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING MR. BILL KLING FOR HIS SERVICE TO AMERICA'S VETERANS

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
William ``Bill'' Kling for his continued service to America's veterans. 
Mr. Kling's unwavering patriotism and continued dedication to America's 
heroes are to be highly commended.
  Bill Kling served in the Navy during the Second World War. It was 
during his time in the Navy that Mr. Kling developed an unceasing 
devotion to his fellow servicemen. For over 35 years since, Mr. Kling 
has served his fellow veterans living in south Florida through 
community service and political activism.
  Mr. Kling currently serves as the chair of the Broward County 
Veterans Council (BCVC), a coalition of 57 organizations in Broward and 
Palm Beach Counties that operates under a common plan to protect and 
implement benefits for veterans.
  Uniting behind its mission ``To Serve and Unite our Veterans,'' the 
BCVC has achieved substantial benefits for our veterans under Mr. 
Kling's leadership. As an advocate for better health care for veterans, 
Mr. Kling led the drive to build the new state-of-the-art Broward 
County VA Outpatient Clinic in Sunrise, FL. In addition to a successful 
campaign for a veterans state nursing home located in Pembroke Pines--a 
crucial service for veterans living in south Florida--Mr. Kling and the 
BCVC were also instrumental in delivering a VA hospital to Palm Beach, 
FL.
  Mr. Kling's leadership has even had a national impact. Mr. Kling and 
the BCVC are responsible for the implementation of the handicapped 
parking signs that are now ubiquitous in shopping malls and public 
areas across America.
  Bill Kling's most recent service to America's veterans has focused on 
national legislation and keeping the BCVC's member organizations 
informed so that they may act accordingly. Mr. Kling has been an 
outspoken critic of the military's ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy and 
a leading voice in the fight for its repeal. Additionally, Mr. Kling 
has been actively working to ensure that military families receive the 
same benefits as private citizens under America's recent landmark 
health care reform. Mr. Kling's leadership will help 700,000 young 
adults whose families are members of TRICARE, which covers military 
families, become eligible for health insurance coverage.
  I have always valued Mr. Kling's insights and advice, and I proudly 
salute his exceptional service to our nation's veterans and, indeed, to 
all Americans. Not only is Bill Kling an American hero, Madam Speaker, 
he is a living testimony to the spirit of national service and a true 
role model.

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