[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9196]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE SYRACUSE VA MEDICAL CENTER'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 1953-2013

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                         HON. DANIEL B. MAFFEI

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2013

  Mr. MAFFEI. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to 
recognize the Syracuse VA Medical Center's Diamond Jubilee.
  The Syracuse VA Medical Center, located at 800 Irving Avenue, first 
opened its doors on June 14th, 1953. For the past 60 years, the medical 
center has dedicated itself to providing superior care to veterans and 
their families. Part of VA Healthcare Upstate New York, the Syracuse VA 
Medical Center provides outpatient support to the greater Central New 
York area by operating community clinics in Auburn, Binghamton, 
Cortland, Massena, Oswego, Rome, and Watertown. The staff should be 
commended for their dedication and commitment to those who have served 
this nation.
  The Syracuse VA Medical Center has been recognized by the Department 
of Veterans Affairs as a Center of Excellence for its Operation 
Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Polytrauma Programs. 
Additionally, the center is also the primary referral center for 
neurosurgery and urological renal stone treatment, which encompasses 
all of upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania veterans.
  On June 14, 2013, the Syracuse VA Medical Center will formally open 
their Spinal Cord Injury & Disorder Center. This state-of-the-art 
center provides expanded services that our veterans deserve. The 
facility will serve veterans across Upstate New York who now travel to 
New York City or out of state to get spinal cord care. Our veterans 
deserve the best care this nation has to offer, and with the six-floor 
addition, the Syracuse VA Medical Center will continue to do just that.
  To mark this special occasion, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. 
Shinseki will be present to deliver the keynote speech for the 
occasion. It is truly an honor to have Secretary Shinseki present to 
celebrate this momentous occasion.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the 
Syracuse VA Medical Center's Diamond Jubilee event, and wish the center 
many more years of continued growth and success in its service of the 
veteran community of Central New York.

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