Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9124, a bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Auburn, California, the Louis A. Conter VA Clinic. Louis Conter was born in Wisconsin in 1921. He enlisted in the Navy in 1939 and was assigned to the infamous USS Arizona. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Louis was standing watch on the deck of the Arizona when it came under attack by Japanese bombers. As the infamous explosion that ignited the ship's magazine happened, Louis was thrown to the ground. As the ship began to sink, he aided the wounded. In the following days, Louis helped put the fires out and recover the bodies from the wreckage. Following the attack, as the war kicked into high gear, Louis was selected for pilot training. He deployed to the Pacific theater and was shot down twice. Again, defying all odds, he survived and reached the rank of lieutenant, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Louis was reactivated during the Korean war in the 1950s, eventually retiring from the Navy in 1967 at the rank of lieutenant commander. After his service, he lived out the rest of his life as a real estate developer and author. Louis Conter was the last known survivor of the USS Arizona before passing away on April 1, 2024. I am proud to name the VA clinic after him to memorialize his historic story of service.…”