U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial Va Clinic Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4136) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Plano, Texas, as the ``U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4136
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic Act''. SEC. 2. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY- BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC, PLANO, TEXAS. The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Plano, Texas, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic''. Any reference to such clinic in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to the U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic.
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Mr. BOST. 4136.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4136, a bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Plano, Texas, as the ``U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic.''
Sam Johnson, a legend and an American hero, was born October 11, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas. At the age of 20, Sam began a 29-year decorated career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a full bird colonel.
He flew nearly 100 combat missions with the Thunderbird demonstration team, as a fighter pilot in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, and as a commander of a tactical fighter wing. Later, Sam Johnson went on to serve as the director of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School.
On his 25th combat mission over Vietnam, Sam's plane was shot down, and he was captured by North Vietnamese forces. Sam would then go on to spend the next 7 grueling years as a prisoner of war, more than 3 years of that time in solitary confinement. As Sam put it: The solitary confinement did not shake his fighting spirit. He was so resistant in captivity that he earned himself a windowless 3-by-9-foot concrete cell at the infamous ``Hanoi Hilton,'' where he was then released from in 1973.
A decade later, his right hand permanently disabled and left with a limp for the rest of his life, Sam Johnson continued his service in the Texas House of Representatives where he served a total of 7 years, but Sam wasn't done yet. He ran for Congress in 1991, where he served our great Nation once again for 27 years and left an undeniable mark on this institution.
His fight for freedom and defending individual liberties never wavered, and American families are better off today because of Sam's service.
Congressman Johnson served honorably as a pilot, a decorated war hero, and a statesman. It goes without saying that there is no one more fitting to name a VA clinic in Texas after than Congressman Sam Johnson.
Now, I know there are some that will raise concerns that this bill does not meet the committee's rule for naming VA facilities. That is correct, and it is only because a small minority of the Texas delegation has not signed onto a letter expressing their support. I am not one to bend or break committee rules, but in this case, we simply can't wait any longer.
Sam toiled in a prison camp for 7 years serving our country, and we should not wait another second to honor his service.
I thank the sponsor of this bill, Representative Self, for leading this effort, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4136.
I would like to take a moment to respond to Ms. Crockett's comments about breaking precedent today with this naming bill.
Sam Johnson was a prisoner of war for 7 years. He was held in solitary confinement for more than 3 of those years in the infamous Hanoi Hilton.
After enduring hell on Earth, as he actually put it during his time in uniform, he kept serving our Nation, first as a commander of a tactical fighter unit, then as a State legislator, then as a Member of Congress. Sam was everything that Americans should aspire to be. He was a hero.
I understand and respect the precedent that we have had regarding naming bills, but in this case the reason for breaking that precedent is we are not going to sit here and play silly D.C. politics and take longer than he was a prisoner of war to pass a bill for naming this after Chairman and Colonel Sam Johnson.
I know Ms. Crockett would have liked to have had her naming bill that is pending for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson on the floor today, and I would be happy to work with the gentlewoman and both leadership teams to see if there is something we can do to move that forward.
However, today we are here to honor Sam Johnson. I will put this plainly. If you can find someone as deserving as Sam Johnson, then I will be glad to bypass precedent for them, as well.
I encourage everyone to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the pleasure of actually doing some naming of many facilities for the VA in this position and also sponsoring some. I don't know, of all the great people in there, that there is a person who is more deserving in the naming of a facility than the Honorable Colonel and Congressman Sam Johnson.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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