Ted Deutch: “I thank my friend from Maine. I rise today and urge unanimous support for H.R. 6443, to designate the Department of…”

“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.…”