The community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of
     Veterans Affairs in San Jose, California, shall after the
     date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as
     the ``Corporal Patrick D. Tillman Department of Veterans
     Affairs Clinic'' or the ``Pat Tillman VA Clinic''. Any
     reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or
     other record of the United States to such community-based
     outpatient clinic shall be considered to be a reference to
     the ``Corporal Patrick D. Tillman Department of Veterans
     Affairs Clinic'' or the ``Pat Tillman VA Clinic''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Conaway)
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.

                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 4288.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4288, to name the
Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San
Jose, California, as the ``Corporal Patrick D. Tillman VA Clinic,''
sponsored by Representative Panetta.
  Pat Tillman was born and raised in San Jose, California. He first
made his name on the football field at Leland High School, helping lead
his team to a Central Coast Division I championship.
  He carried that same drive and determination to Arizona State
University, where he excelled both as a student and as an athlete.
  Mr. Speaker, after being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998, by
2000, Pat had become the team's star safety. He had achieved what so
many young athletes dreamed of. He was playing in the NFL. He had a
successful career ahead of him and could have made millions of dollars
by continuing to play professional football.
  Yet, after the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, Pat Tillman
made a different choice. When his country needed him, Pat answered the
call. He put the needs of his country above his own dreams, above his
own career, and above the life of comfort and success that he already
earned.
  Mr. Speaker, that is the definition of an American hero. When
terrorists struck the Twin Towers, Pat, like so many other Americans,
ran toward the fight.
  Pat once said: ``A lot of my family has . . . gone and fought in
wars. And I really haven't done a damned thing as far as laying myself
on the line like that, and so I have a great deal of respect for those
that have and what the flag stands for.''
  Those were not empty words. In 2002, Pat enlisted in the United
States Army. He served with the 75th Ranger Regiment. During his second
deployment--I will say that again--his second deployment, while serving
in Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Pat's unit
came under attack.
  Pat died in action while providing cover for his fellow soldiers.
Because of his courage, his fellow soldiers were able to escape danger.
  For his bravery and sacrifice, Pat was posthumously awarded the
Purple Heart and the Silver Star.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4288 is a fitting tribute to Pat Tillman, a son of
San Jose, a professional athlete, an Army Ranger, and an American hero
who gave up fame and fortune to serve the country he loved.
  By naming the VA clinic after him, we would ensure that his story of
courage, service, and sacrifice will continue for decades. Those of us
who can remember Pat Tillman and remember what an amazing thing he did,
to leave a career as a professional football player to serve this
Nation and the flag

that hangs behind you, Mr. Speaker, is something that those of us who
are big football fans and a big Pat Tillman fan understand.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4288, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am really moved by the chairman's comments about Mr.
Tillman.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4288 to name the Department of
Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in San Jose,
California, after Corporal Patrick ``Pat'' Daniel Tillman.
  I thank my colleague, Representative Panetta, for honoring the legacy
of this American hero.
  Pat Tillman was born in San Jose, California, in 1976. From 1990 to
1994, Pat attended Leland High School in San Jose, California, where he
helped lead his team to a Central Coast Division I football
championship.
  Mr. Tillman was offered a scholarship to play football for Arizona
State University. While there, he led Arizona State to the 1997 Rose
Bowl after an undefeated season. He earned three consecutive selections
to the Pac-10 All-Academic Football Team, a first team Academic All-
American honor, and received the NCAA post-graduate scholarship for
academic and athletic excellence.
  After graduating ASU summa cum laude in 1998 with a bachelor of
science, he was drafted to play for the Arizona Cardinals, where he
played until July 2002.
  Less than 1 year after 9/11, Tillman felt a call to serve his country
and enlisted in the U.S. Army.
  Mr. Tillman, with his brother Kevin, who joined the Army at the same
time, were both assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis,
Washington.
  As an Army Ranger, Pat Tillman deployed in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom in 2003 and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004. On April 22,
2004, Pat Tillman was tragically killed by friendly fire while on
patrol in the rugged area of eastern Afghanistan.
  Pat Tillman was undeniably known as a national hero, and his service
reflects that. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart medals,
and he was posthumously promoted to corporal.
  Following his death, his widow, Marie, and his family and friends
established the Pat Tillman Foundation, which awards academic
scholarships to military servicemembers, veterans, and their spouses.
  I can think of no better way to honor Mr. Tillman's legacy and
demonstrate our Nation's continued gratitude for his service than to
name this VA clinic in his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Panetta), my good friend and author of this
legislation, who serves on the House Budget Committee and the Ways and
Means Committee.
  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan
legislation to rename the San Jose veterans affairs clinic for U.S.
Army Corporal Patrick D. Tillman.
  Mr. Speaker, this is more than about just a naming of a VA clinic.
This is about patriotism. It is about passion, and it is about
progression as a nation.
  Now, there is no doubt, as you have heard, Mr. Speaker, that Pat was
a patriot. After 9/11, he gave up a $3.6 million contract playing
professional football to enlist in the U.S. Army.
  Mr. Speaker, Pat had a storied football career, be it as a beast on
the gridiron for the Chargers of Leland High School in Almaden Valley,
San Jose; at Arizona State University as an Academic All-American who
graduated summa cum laude in 3\1/2\ years; as an All-American who
helped the Sun Devils to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl berth in
1997; and then, of course, as a professional football player in the NFL
for the Arizona Cardinals, where he set a franchise record for tackles
in the year 2000.
  Mr. Speaker, despite all of that, he felt he hadn't done a dang thing
for this great country.
  Pat grew up in a family of service who had gone and fought wars. He
grew up knowing that his great-grandfather served at Pearl Harbor
during the attack in 1941. He grew up realizing that in our democracy,
we have an obligation to give back to our country that gives a guy like
Pat Tillman the opportunity to play professional football.
  He felt that he could fulfill that responsibility by joining the U.S.
Army and becoming a U.S. Ranger.
  Mr. Speaker, I admit that I did not know Pat Tillman, but when we
know about Pat Tillman, all of us--all of us--feel his passion.