[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6874-6875]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER JESSE DEAN VA CLINIC

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3969) to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs 
community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, as the ``Master 
Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean Department of Veterans Affairs 
Community-Based Outpatient Clinic'', as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3969

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

     SECTION 1. MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER JESSE DEAN VA CLINIC.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, shall 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and 
     designated as the ``Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean VA 
     Clinic''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     community-based outpatient clinic referred to in subsection 
     (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Master Chief 
     Petty Officer Jesse Dean VA Clinic''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Donovan). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentlewoman from Florida 
(Ms. Brown) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This bill is sponsored by Congressman Joe Heck from Nevada, and I 
thank him for introducing this piece of legislation.
  Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean was born on August 11, 1947, 
and enlisted in the United States Navy when he was just 17 years old. 
Throughout his time in the Navy, Master Chief Petty Officer Dean served 
on numerous ships and on several overseas assignments and earned 
several awards and commendations.
  Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean served our Nation both in and 
out of uniform. He served his fellow veterans and neighbors in Nevada. 
It is entirely fitting that with the passage of H.R. 3969, as amended, 
we name the VA community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, 
the Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean Department of Veterans 
Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3969, as amended, which would 
designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient 
clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, as the Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse 
Dean Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
  Master Chief Petty Officer Dean, who passed away in 2014, was a 
highly decorated Vietnam veteran who served 27 years in the Navy before 
retiring in 1992. He settled in Laughlin and joined the American Legion 
where he was revered by fellow members for his selfless service and 
dedication. By all accounts, Master Chief Petty Officer Dean was an 
exemplary sailor and beloved citizen, husband, and father.
  I understand that when Congressman Heck asked his constituents to 
recommend a veteran to name this clinic after, Officer Dean was the 
only name mentioned.
  Mr. Speaker, Master Chief Petty Officer Dean's dedication to duty, 
his community, and his country reflected great credit upon himself and 
was in keeping with the finest ideals of service, selflessness, and 
giving, making him the ideal namesake for the new veterans clinic in 
Laughlin, Nevada.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Heck).
  Mr. HECK of Nevada. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to urge the House to adopt 
H.R. 3969, legislation I introduced to name the Department of Veterans 
Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, in honor 
of Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean.
  On February 19, 2015, I helped cut the ribbon at the grand opening of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in 
Laughlin, Nevada. Shortly after the clinic was completed, members of 
the American Legion Richard Springston Post 60 in Laughlin came to me 
with an idea that the clinic should be named for a prominent Laughlin 
veteran. As we started the search, one name stood out amongst the rest: 
Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean.
  From the time he was a boy, Jesse Dean only wanted to do one thing--
serve his country as a member of the United States military. In 1965, 
at the age of 17, he enlisted in the Navy. Jesse would go on to serve 
27 years, achieving the highest grade for an enlisted sailor, that of 
master chief petty officer.
  His first sea duty assignment was aboard the aircraft carrier USS 
Hornet, and during Vietnam he served as part of the brown-water navy. 
Over his 27-year career, Jesse earned numerous awards and 
commendations, including three Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy 
Achievement Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, a Vietnam Service Medal, 
and an Overseas Service Ribbon.

[[Page 6875]]

  Upon his retirement from the Navy in 1992, Jesse moved to Laughlin 
and promptly joined American Legion Post 60. As a member of the Legion, 
Jesse was revered by fellow members for his selfless service and 
dedication to the Post and his fellow veterans. He did the majority of 
the maintenance work on the Post. He drove fellow veterans to medical 
appointments and to the store. He even donated a trailer that he owned 
to be used as a shelter for homeless veterans. Jesse did all of these 
things and more for the Post and his fellow veterans, but he never 
accepted compensation for his tireless work.
  Mr. Speaker, I did not have the privilege of knowing Master Chief 
Jesse Dean, but it is clear from speaking with community members and 
veterans in Laughlin that naming the new VA clinic in his honor is a 
fitting tribute.
  The master chief was called to his final duty station in 2014. Today 
we have a chance to repay him with a resounding Bravo Zulu for his 
years of dedication to Laughlin American Legion Post 60, to the veteran 
community of Laughlin, and to the United States Navy by naming the new 
VA health clinic in his honor.
  I thank all of the members of the
Nevada Congressional Delegation for backing this building naming as 
well as to thank the members of the American Legion Richard Springston 
Post 60 in Laughlin for working with us on this bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3969 to name the Department of 
Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin, Nevada, 
in honor of Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  As we enter into the Memorial Day celebration, I want to point out 
that, like Master Chief Petty Officer Dean and many Vietnam veterans, 
when they returned, this country did not receive them as we should have 
and thank them for their service.
  Of the 22 veterans who commit suicide every day, only 3 of them are 
part of the VA system. I would like for all of us to reach out to the 
Vietnam veterans and to first thank them all for their service and then 
for all of us to soldier up and man up and to let them know we love 
them, that we appreciate them, and that we appreciate their service.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3969, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This bill satisfies the committee's naming criteria, and, as Dr. Heck 
said, it is supported by the entire Nevada Congressional Delegation as 
well as by veterans service organizations, including the American 
Legion and the VFW.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this great bill. I 
would appreciate it very much.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. Bilirakis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3969, 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 in Laughlin, Nevada, as the `Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse 
Dean VA Clinic'.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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