Sy Kaplan Veterans Center
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7925) to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Palm Desert, California, as the ``Sy Kaplan Veterans Center'', as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7925
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan was born on February 28, 1924.
(2) Sergeant Kaplan served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945 as a combat engineer.
(3) Sergeant Kaplan served in the 2d, 4th, and 14th Armored Divisions, seeing service in North Africa, Italy, and France.
(4) Sergeant Kaplan rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant and earned 3 Battle Stars and 2 Purple Hearts.
(5) Sergeant Kaplan served under General George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge and received 2 Purple Hearts for his service.
(6) In April 1945, Sergeant Kaplan was grievously wounded in an enemy mortar attack in Czechoslovakia and returned to the United States a wounded warrior.
(7) Sergeant Kaplan served as Commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 78 (Coachella Valley) for many years.
(8) Sergeant Kaplan was instrumental in the opening of the Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Palm Desert.
(9) Sergeant Kaplan personally provided countless local veterans with advice and assistance in obtaining their earned Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.
(10) Sergeant Kaplan received the Senior Inspiration Award from Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson in 2001.
(11) Wilson also appointed Sergeant Kaplan the first chair of the Desert Palms Community Council. SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATED IN PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA.
(a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic located in Palm Desert, California, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Sy Kaplan 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 ``Sy Kaplan VA Clinic''.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. TAKANO. 7925, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Technical Sergeant Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan, a wounded warrior, a World War II veteran, and a decades-long advocate for other veterans living in the Coachella Valley of southern California.
I thank my colleague, a fellow Californian and member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Dr. Raul Ruiz, for his work on this bill, which will designate a brand-new VA outpatient clinic in Palm Desert, California, the Sy Kaplan VA Clinic.
The state-of-the-art Palm Desert clinic provides primary care, behavioral health services, and preventative medicine to thousands of veterans in the Inland Empire as part of VA's Loma Linda Healthcare System.
Sergeant Kaplan enlisted in the military in 1942 and served overseas as a combat engineer in northern Africa, Italy, and France. He fought under General Patton in the Battle of the Bulge, which helped ensure Allied victory in the Second World War. In 1945, he was seriously wounded by an enemy mortar attack during a bridge-building mission in Czechoslovakia.
For his heroism, Sergeant Kaplan earned three battle stars and two Purple Hearts and returned home 100 percent disabled.
His injuries did not impede Sergeant Kaplan's unwavering commitment to our Nation's veterans, however. For 25 years, he served as commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 78 in the Coachella Valley. In this role, Sergeant Kaplan assisted countless veterans, helping ease their transition back to civilian life and providing them with a tight- knit sense of community.
His passion, leadership, and sense of purpose were evident to all who knew him.
Following a lifetime of service, Sergeant Kaplan passed away in April 2019, not long after celebrating his 95th birthday. His legacy continues, however, in the grateful community of those whose lives he touched.
I am happy to know that for generations of veterans to come, this VA facility will honor Sergeant Kaplan's memory.
H.R. 7925, as amended, has been endorsed by The American Legion, DAV, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 1925 from The American Legion, VFW, and Disabled American Veterans, as well as the California delegation. The American Legion, Department of California, Sanger, CA, July 18, 2022. Hon. Raul Ruiz, M.D., House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Congressman Ruiz: On behalf of The American Legion, Department of California, we thank you for your continued leadership in advocating for the more than I 20,000 veterans living in Riverside County. TAL Department of California is proud to support your legislation, designating the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Palm Desert, California, as the, Sy Kaplan Veterans Center''.
By naming the Palm Desert outpatient clinic after United States Army Technical Sergeant, Seymour ``Sy'' Kaplan, not only memorializes his contributions and sacrifices made fighting in North Africa, Italy and France during World War II, but also underscores his significant contributions towards Veterans Advocacy in the Palm Desert area. This advocacy was instrumental in the opening of the very VA clinic your legislation hopes to name after him.
Thank you again for your leadership and advocacy of all veterans. TAL Department of California recognizes all the work that went into this effort and wholeheartedly supports this legislation. Moreover, we hope this bill will be passed and signed into law most expeditiously. Sincerely, Jere Romano, Commander, The American Legion Department of California. ____ Veterans of Foreign Wars, June 6, 2022. Rep. Raul Ruiz, Washington DC.
Dear Hon. Representative Ruiz, MD: The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California takes great pleasure in supporting your bill to name the VA's Outpatient Clinic building in Palm Desert, CA as the Sy Kaplan Veterans Center.
Sergeant Kaplan's service to our country in WWII is impressive. He not only gave his all during his service, but he also continued that back at home in service to veterans and with the same commitment. His legacy is worthy of and in line with this Department's desires to pay honor to our servicemen and women by naming California veteran facilities after them.
On behalf of the 61,000+ combat veterans of this Department, we thank you for recognizing our nation's heroes. Sincerely, Dawn M. Napier, State Commander. ____ Disabled American Veterans, San Diego, CA, December 5, 2021. Hon. Raul Ruiz M.D.
Dear Congressman Ruiz: I am writing this letter of endorsement to rename the Desert Clinic the Seymour (Sy) Kaplan Desert Clinic. This is an Honor he richly deserves. Mr. Kaplan, a force to be reckoned with, was the catalyst in the establishment of the clinic. His tireless commitment to all veterans was inspiring. A highly decorated war hero, Mr. Kaplan spent a lifetime giving to the veteran community, not only in the desert community but the State of California.
I thank you in advance for all your consideration in this matter. Nancy Casey,
Department of California DAV, Jr. Vice Commander, National Service Officer, Disabled American Veterans. ____ November 1, 2022. Hon. Jon Tester, Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Jerry Moran, Ranking Member, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Moran: We write in support of H.R. 7925, legislation to rename the Palm Desert Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic after Sy Kaplan.
Sy Kaplan served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 as a combat engineer. He rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant and earned three Battle Stars and two Purple Hearts. In April 1945 he was grievously wounded in an enemy mortar attack in Czechoslovakia and returned to the U.S. a wounded warrior.
When he retired, Mr. Kaplan served as Commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 78 (Coachella Valley) for many years, where he personally provided countless local veterans with advice and assistance in obtaining their earned VA benefits. Additionally, he was instrumental in the opening of the VA Clinic in Palm Desert which we wish to name in his honor.
Mr. Kaplan was recognized for his work within his community and received the Senior Inspiration Award from Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson in 2001 and was appointed the first chair of the Desert Palms Community Council.
We hope that you will swiftly advance H.R. 7925 to recognize this true war hero and pillar of the community by supporting our bill to rename the Palm Desert VA outpatient clinic the Sy Kaplan Veterans Center. Sincerely,
Raul Ruiz, M.D., Dianne Feinstein, Alex Padilla, Kevin McCarthy, Mark Takano, Jared Huffman, Ami Bera, M.D., Nancy Pelosi, Doug LaMalfa, Mike Thompson, Jay Obernolte, Jerry McNerney, Mark DeSaulnier, Jackie Speier, Jim Costa, Anna G. Eshoo, Josh Harder, Barbara Lee, Eric Swalwell, Ro Khanna, Zoe Lofgren; Members of Congress.
Salud Carbajal, Brad Sherman, Grace F. Napolitano, Karen Bass, Ken Calvert, Judy Chu, Pete Aguilar, Norma J. Torres, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Katie Porter, J. Luis Correa, Michelle Steel, Juan Vargas, Darrell Issa, Linda T. Sanchez, Alan S. Lowenthal, Mike Levin, Scott H. Peters, David G. Valadao, Doris Matsui; Members of Congress.
Jimmy Gomez, Mike Garcia, Adam B. Schiff, John Garamendi, Maxine Waters, Jimmy Panetta, Ted Lieu, Tony Cardenas, Tom McClintock, Young Kim, Julia Brownley, Connie Conway; Members of Congress.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Dr. Ruiz and all of our fellow members of the California delegation for their support of this bill.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7925, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source