[House Report 107-474]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
107th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 107-474
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ROBERT J. DOLE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL AND REGIONAL
OFFICE CENTER
_______
May 16, 2002.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Smith of New Jersey, from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4608]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to whom was referred the
bill (H.R. 4608) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs
medical center in Wichita, Kansas, as the ``Robert J. Dole
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'', having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments
and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL AND REGIONAL
OFFICE CENTER, WICHITA, KANSAS.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center
in Wichita, Kansas, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act
be known and designated as the ``Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center''. Any reference to such
medical center in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other
paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to the
Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional
Office Center.
Amend the title so as to read:
A bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
and Regional Office Center in Wichita, Kansas, as the ``Robert
J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional
Office Center''.
Introduction
On April 25, 2002, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on
Health, the Honorable Jerry Moran, introduced H.R. 4608.
On May 1, 2002, the Subcommittee on Health met and by
unanimous voice vote ordered H.R. 4608 reported favorably to
the full Committee.
On May 9, 2002, the full Committee met and by unanimous
voice vote ordered H.R. 4608, as amended, reported favorably to
the House.
Summary of the Reported Bill
H.R. 4608, as amended, would:
Name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and
Regional Office Center in Wichita, Kansas, the ``Robert J. Dole
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office
Center''.
Background and Discussion
The Committee bill would honor former United States Senator
Robert J. Dole for his exemplary service to his country as a
United States Army soldier in World War II.
During World War II, Robert J. Dole, a 19-year-old from
Russell, Kansas, joined the Army's Enlisted Reserve Corps and
gained assignment as a second lieutenant in the Army's 10th
Mountain Division. His unit was sent to Italy where he was a
platoon leader. On April 14, 1945, his platoon was attacked by
German forces. While aiding a wounded soldier, he was seriously
injured by mortar fire. The round shattered his right shoulder,
leaving him paralyzed and near death. He recovered over a
period of three years in Army and VA hospitals, surviving nine
surgeries and undergoing rehabilitation. Robert Dole was
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his heroism and selfless
effort to aid a fellow soldier, and two Purple Hearts for the
injuries he sustained. He was awarded the European-African
Middle Eastern Campaign medal with two Bronze Stars for
participation in the Po Valley and Northern Apennines
Campaigns. He is also a recipient of the American Campaign
Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
In civilian life, Senator Dole was awarded the Harry Truman
Good Neighbor Award, the Defense Distinguished Public Service
Medal, the American Legion Distinguished Service Award and
Paralyzed Veterans of America's Award for Life Service to
Veterans. In 1997, President Clinton awarded Senator Dole the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian
award. At that ceremony, the President described Senator Dole
as ``. . . one of our nation's most distinguished World War II
veterans . . . [a] son of the soil, citizen, soldier and
legislator, Bob Dole understands the American people, their
struggles, their triumphs and their dreams.''
During his many years of service in Washington as an
elected public official, Senator Dole gave a public speech on
each yearly anniversary of his own injury in the Italian
campaign to highlight the status of America's veterans and the
disabled. His advocacy for the disabled has been lifelong and
as a U.S. Senator, he was a leader in the passage of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, one of the most significant
pieces of legislation dealing with the needs of the disabled
since the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
This bill also serves to memorialize Senator Dole's
outstanding advocacy for the veterans of Kansas and all
veterans of the United States armed forces. Along with
President Dwight Eisenhower, Robert Dole is one of the greatest
figures in Kansas history. Eisenhower's name graces the VA
Medical Center at Leavenworth, and it would be appropriate that
the Wichita VA facility bear Senator Dole's name.
The Kansas Congressional delegation is unanimous in its
support for the Committee bill, as are the major veterans
organizations of the State of Kansas. Thus, this bill meets
existing Committee criteria regarding the naming of VA
facilities.
Section-By-Section Analysis
Section 1 would, after the date of enactment, name the
Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center in Wichita,
Kansas, the ``Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical and Regional Office Center''.
Performance Goals and Objectives
The Government Performance and Results Act is not
applicable to the reported bill.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
The following letter was received from the Congressional
Budget Office concerning the cost of the reported bill:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 10, 2002.
Hon. Christopher H. Smith
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: At your request, the Congressional
Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R.
4608, a bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical
center in Wichita, Kansas, as the ``Robert J. Dole Department
of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.''
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sam
Papenfuss, who can be reached at 226-2840.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Crippen,
Director.
Enclosure.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate May 10, 2002
H.R. 4608, A bill to name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical
center in Wichita, Kansas, as the ``Robert J. Dole Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center''
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
on May 9, 2002
H.R. 4608 would name the Department of Veterans Affairs
medical center in Wichita, Kansas, as the ``Robert J. Dole
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.'' It also would
require that any reference to such medical center in any law,
regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United
States be considered a reference to the clinic by the new name.
CBO estimates that implementing the bill would have a
negligible cost, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. Because the bill would not affect direct spending or
receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
H.R. 4608 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact is Sam Papenfuss. This estimate was
approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for
Budget Analysis.
Statement of Federal Mandates
The preceding Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
states that the reported bill contains no intergovernmental or
private sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The reported bill would not be applicable to the
legislative branch under the Congressional Accountability Act,
Public Law 104-1.
Statement of Constitutional Authority
Pursuant to Article I, section 8 of the United States
Constitution, the reported bill is authorized by Congress'
power to ``provide for the common Defense and general Welfare
of the United States.''