[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17809-17810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    WILLIAM ``BILL'' KLING VA CLINIC

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 6443) to designate the facility of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs located at 9800 West Commercial Boulevard in 
Sunrise, Florida, as the ``William `Bill' Kling VA Clinic''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6443

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

     SECTION 1. WILLIAM ``BILL'' KLING VA CLINIC.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs located at 9800 West Commercial Boulevard in 
     Sunrise, Florida, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``William `Bill' Kling 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 ``William `Bill' Kling VA Clinic''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The legislation before us would name the VA community-based 
outpatient clinic in Sunrise, Florida, the William ``Bill'' Kling VA 
Clinic. William, better known as Bill, served as a Navy radar 
technician during the Second World War.
  When he moved to Plantation, Florida, in 1973, Bill continued his 
service--this time as an advocate for his fellow veterans. He spent 
eight years as Florida's Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and twenty-
seven years as the President of the Broward County Veterans Council. 
Bill was also a proud and active member of the American Legion, the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, and the 
Jewish War Veterans of the United States.
  In each of those capacities, he worked tirelessly to ensure that the 
struggles and triumphs of veterans in Broward County, in Florida, and 
around the county were properly recognized and respected.
  He was instrumental in the opening of a VA CBOC in Oakland Park more 
than two decades ago and, when that facility became unserviceable, 
played an active role in relocating it to Sunrise.
  Thanks in part to his efforts, the Broward County CBOC reopened in 
Sunrise in 2008 and has been helping to improve the health and daily 
lives of Broward County veterans each day since.
  Today, the entrance to that ninety-eight thousand square foot clinic 
bears a plaque dedicated to Bill.
  Given the leadership he has unquestionably shown on behalf of his 
fellow veteran Floridians, it is only proper that that facility should 
now also bear his name.
  H.R. 6443 has received the unanimous support of Florida's 
Congressional delegation and Florida's major veterans service 
organizations (VSOs).
  Among the VSOs who have provided letters of support in favor of this 
legislation are: the Vietnam Veterans of America Florida State Council, 
the American Legion Department of Florida, and the Jewish War Veterans 
of the United States.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, but I do want 
to reserve the balance of my time so the gentleman from Maine can 
recognize the sponsor of the legislation.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) such time as she may 
consume.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I thank the gentleman. I thank both gentlemen.
  I rise to offer H.R. 6443, a bill that will designate the Department 
of Veterans Affairs health clinic located at 9800 West Commercial 
Boulevard in the city of Sunrise, Florida, as the William ``Bill'' 
Kling VA Clinic. I offer this bill, along with the entire Florida House 
delegation, to honor a beloved member of our south Florida veterans' 
community, William ``Bill'' Kling, who passed away, sadly, on August 6 
at age 84.
  My deepest appreciation goes out to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs and Chairman Miller, who is a good friend from the great State 
of Florida, for supporting this effort and helping it to come to the 
floor.
  Bill was a member of our greatest generation of Americans, serving 
our Nation as a radar technician for the Navy during World War II. But 
Bill's service to our Nation was far from over when he returned from 
war. In fact, it was just beginning.
  Bill Kling became a national leader and one of the strongest 
advocates for our Nation's veterans. He was dedicated to helping 
generations of veterans as they returned to civilian life. He worked 
tirelessly to make sure our veterans were getting the benefits they 
deserved, from education under the GI Bill to quality health care 
through our VA system.
  I'm sure my Florida colleagues will agree that Bill was a force to be 
reckoned with, ever brightening our congressional doorways, pushing the 
urgency of the issue at hand.
  I know we are all grateful for the remarkable legacy he leaves 
behind, and he will be sorely missed. In particular, my thoughts and 
prayers go out to Bill's family, including his children, Marsha 
Mittentag and Steven Kling.
  I had the distinct pleasure, Mr. Speaker, of working with Bill for 
the last 23 years and have witnessed firsthand the many ways he helped 
thousands of veterans in Florida. I'm also proud to have called him my 
friend. For the past 7 years, Bill served as the chair of my Military 
Academy Nominations Board, where he helped the next generation of 
military leaders realize their dream of serving the country they love.
  For 8 years he served on the Florida Commission on Veterans' Affairs, 
and for the past 27 years, as you've heard, he was the president of the 
Broward County Veterans Council. He also led the Jewish War Veterans 
and was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and 
the Disabled American Veterans.
  The list of superlatives for Bill is long and shows him as the great 
American that he was. Bill was inducted into the Broward Senior Hall of 
Fame, received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Dolphin 
Democrats, and changed the scope of veterans' services in south 
Florida.
  In particular, he helped bring the Alexander ``Sandy'' Nininger 
Veterans' Nursing Home to Pembroke Pines in 2001 and worked with other 
veterans to create the South Florida National Cemetery in Palm Beach in 
2007.
  One of Bill's greatest accomplishments and lasting legacies was 
ensuring that veterans would have easy access to quality medical care. 
Bill noticed that too often veterans in Broward County had to travel 
too far to go to a VA facility to get the care they needed. With that 
in mind, he helped open the Oakland Park VA outpatient clinic more than 
two decades ago. When the building the clinic occupied began 
deteriorating, Bill worked to open a brand new facility. Even though 
this effort took years, Bill kept a smile on his face and kept working 
to overcome every obstacle because that's just how Bill Kling operated.
  So in 2008, a new 98,000-square-foot clinic opened in Sunrise, and 
fittingly on Bill's birthday. I think it's fair to

[[Page 17810]]

say that without Bill Kling this wonderful center that serves thousands 
of our veterans each year might not exist.
  With that in mind, my good friend and colleague, Congressman Ted 
Deutch, and I and the rest of the delegation offer this legislation 
today which will rename the Broward outpatient clinic as the William 
``Bill'' Kling VA Clinic. This is such a fitting way to memorialize and 
thank Bill Kling. With passage of this bill, every veteran who walks 
through the doors of the Broward VA Clinic will know the name of the 
man who did so much for so many.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage of this 
legislation so we may pay tribute to a great American, William ``Bill'' 
Kling.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. I am grateful to my good friend from Florida 
(Ms. Wasserman Schultz) for bringing this legislation to the floor and 
honoring such a fine gentleman. I also again want to thank the ranking 
member for helping us work so quickly to bring this legislation to the 
floor.
  I would also note that, in closing, a preliminary cost estimate 
provided by CBO, H.R. 6443 represents only a minimal cost to the 
Federal Government.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I now would yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch).
  Mr. DEUTCH. I thank my friend from Maine.
  I rise today and urge unanimous support for H.R. 6443, to designate 
the Department of Veterans Affairs facility in Sunrise as the Bill 
Kling VA Clinic.
  Naming this clinic after Bill Kling is more than a way to honor the 
memory of a great man. It's a most fitting way to acknowledge one of 
Bill's greatest accomplishments as a tireless advocate for south 
Florida's veterans.
  Because of Bill Kling, Florida's veterans are better cared for. Year 
after year he fought for the benefits that our veterans so rightfully 
earned during their service, including education under the GI Bill and 
health care through the VA.
  His achievements were many, but it was the opening of the clinic in 
Sunrise that Bill was the most proud of. He had previously assisted 
with the establishment of an outpatient clinic in Oakland Park. As the 
years passed and the facility was no longer suitable to care for the 
veterans, he started on what would be a 13-year project of establishing 
a new facility. After years of obstacles, the clinic opened in 2008 on 
his birthday. He commented at the time that the fight was not for a 
building, the fight was for better health care for our veterans. Now, 
thanks to Bill Kling and thanks to his vision, veterans in south 
Florida have a local VA health care facility available to them. The 
veterans from the west side of the county are able to receive medical 
assistance without the burden of having to travel long distances.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in renaming this clinic in his honor. 
Every veteran cared for in this clinic is part of Bill's lasting 
legacy. I'm humbled to remember him today not just as a community 
leader but as a friend. I commend Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, my 
good friend and colleague, for her introduction of this bill and her 
comments honoring the memory of Mr. Kling. He truly was caring and 
compassionate, a loyal person and a loyal friend. He made everyone who 
crossed his path feel as though they were the most special person he 
knew.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, when we announced the legislation to rename 
this facility at the facility there were some veterans standing out in 
front waiting to go in. They asked what the hubbub was about, and they 
asked why all the TV cameras, and I explained to them who Bill Kling 
was and why this was being done. They were grateful for the opportunity 
to know, and now veterans just like those veterans, when they walk 
through the front door, will learn not only about Bill Kling but will 
learn of his example as a veteran for continuing to work hard every 
single day for his fellow veterans. What a great honor we're bestowing 
on his family by honoring his memory in this way.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H.R. 6443, 
honoring this late, great American.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today to offer my support of H.R. 6443, a bill to designate a 
Department of Veterans Affairs facility in Sunrise, Florida, as the 
``William `Bill' Kling VA Clinic.''
  Mr. Kling was a World War II veteran, having served as a radar 
technician in the United States Navy.
  He went on to serve as a staunch advocate for the veterans of 
Florida, including: 27 years as President of the Broward County 
Veterans Council, 8 years as Florida's Commissioner of Veterans 
Affairs, and Memberships with The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign 
Wars, Jewish War Veterans and Disabled American Veterans.
  Mr. Kling fought for greater access to healthcare for his fellow 
veterans, which after 13 years of advocacy, led to the opening of this 
facility in Sunrise in 2008.
  Moreover, Mr. Kling was also a key player in the opening of the South 
Florida National Cemetery in 2007 and the State Veterans Nursing Home 
in Pembroke Pines in 2001.
  While Mr. Kling is no longer with us, his tireless advocacy on behalf 
of our Nation's veterans lives makes him the perfect candidate for the 
naming of the VA clinic in Sunrise.
  Before yielding back my time, I'd also like to thank Chairman Miller 
and your entire staff for working with the minority staff to bring 
these two bills before the House. But I also want to thank you for your 
friendship and your guidance over the years as we both served on the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee. I look forward to my new role as the 
ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and look forward to 
working with you and your staff as well.
  I want to thank you for your strong advocacy for our veterans. That's 
one of the reasons why I think we work very well together--we have a 
common goal, a common purpose to help our veterans and their families 
out. So I want to thank you and look forward to working with you in the 
upcoming Congress as well as the remainder of this Congress.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members would have 5 legislative days to revise and extend and add any 
extraneous material for H.R. 6443.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. I appreciate the kind remarks by my good 
friend, the ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I once 
again 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 Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6443.
  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. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________