September 13, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5931 

he leaves behind, and he will be sorely 

missed. 

I had the distinct pleasure of working 

with Bill for the last 23 years and have 

witnessed firsthand the many ways he 

helped thousands of veterans in Florida. I’m also proud to have called Bill 

my friend. For the past 7 years, Bill 

served as the chairman of my Military 

Academy Nominations Board where he 

helped the next generation of military 

leaders realize the dream of serving the 

country they love. 

For 8 years, he served on the Florida 

Commission on Veterans’ Affairs, and 

for the past 27 years he was the president of the Broward County Veterans 

Council. He also led the Jewish War 

Veterans and was a member of the 

American Legion, Veterans of Foreign 

Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans. 

The list of superlatives for Bill shows 

him as the great American that he was. 

Bill was inducted into the Broward 

Senior Hall of Fame, received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the 

Dolphin Democrats, and changed the 

shape of veterans services in south 

Florida. In particular, he helped bring 

the Alexander ‘‘Sandy’’ Nininger Veterans’ Nursing Home to Pembroke 

Pines in 2001 and worked with other 

veterans to create the South Florida 

National Cemetery in Palm Beach in 

2007. 

One of Bill’s greatest accomplishments and lasting legacies was ensuring that veterans would have easy access to quality medical care. Bill noticed that too often veterans in 

Broward County had to travel too far 

to go to a VA facility to get the care 

that they needed. With that in mind, 

he helped open the Oakland Park VA 

Outpatient Clinic more than two decades ago. 

When the building the clinic occupied 

began deteriorating, Bill worked to 

open a brand-new facility. Even though 

this effort took years, Bill kept a smile 

on his face and kept working to overcome every obstacle, because that’s 

just how Bill operated. 

So in 2008, a new 98,000-square-foot 

clinic opened in Sunrise, and fittingly 

on Bill’s birthday. I think it’s fair to 

say that without Bill Kling, this wonderful center that serves thousands of 

our veterans each year might not ever 

exist. 

With that in mind, I’m honored to 

announce that next week my good 

friend, Congressman TED DEUTCH, also 

of Florida, and I will file legislation, 

along with many other members of the 

Florida delegation, that will rename 

the Broward Outpatient Clinic as the 

William ‘‘Bill’’ Kling VA Clinic. 

This is such a fitting way to memorialize and thank Bill Kling. With passage of this bill, every veteran who 

walks through the doors of the 

Broward VA Clinic will know the name 

of the man who did so much for so 

many. 

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the 

passage of this legislation so we may 

pay fitting tribute to a great American, William ‘‘Bill’’ Kling. 

f 

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE 

A message from the Senate by Ms. 

Curtis, one of its clerks, announced 

that the Senate has passed without 

amendment a bill of the House of the 

following title: 

H.R. 6336. An act to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to accept a statue depicting Frederick Douglass from the District 

of Columbia and to provide for the permanent display of the statue in Emancipation 

Hall of the United States Capitol. 

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RECESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair 

declares the House in recess until noon 

today. 

Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 59 

minutes a.m.), the House stood in recess. 

f 

b 1200 

AFTER RECESS 

The recess having expired, the House 

was called to order by the Speaker at 

noon. 

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PRAYER 

Reverend Kris Holzmeyer, Second 

Baptist Church, Clinton, Tennessee, offered the following prayer: 

Heavenly Father, we come to You 

this day with praise upon our lips. You 

are worthy of all glory and honor. You 

are faithful, and You hear us when we 

call. 

We come to You this day to say 

thank you. You have given to us a free 

and prosperous Nation in which to live. 

We know that You and You alone are 

the provider of that freedom and prosperity. 

We also come before You acknowledging our great sins as a Nation. We 

ask Your forgiveness as we seek Your 

will for the future of our country. 

As our leaders gather in this room to 

discuss the business of this day, bless 

them with wisdom and knowledge to 

make the best possible decisions for 

our citizens. And may their actions, 

their words, and their motives bring 

You honor and glory. 

We ask these things in the name of 

Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Amen. 

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THE JOURNAL 

The SPEAKER. The Chair has examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and announces to the House 

his approval thereof. 

Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved. 

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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman 

from Illinois (Mr. SCHILLING) come forward and lead the House in the Pledge 

of Allegiance. 

Mr. SCHILLING led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows: 

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the 

United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

f 

WELCOMING REVEREND KRIS 

HOLZMEYER 

The SPEAKER. Without objection, 

the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. 

FLEISCHMANN) is recognized for 1 

minute. 

There was no objection. 

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. It is my pleasure to welcome Kris Holzmeyer in joining me here on the House floor to give 

the opening prayer. 

Pastor Holzmeyer recently served as 

an associate pastor at the Second Baptist Church in Clinton, Tennessee, a 

town in my district. With a desire to 

serve the Lord in both word and deed, 

Kris has authored two devotionals: 

‘‘The First Responder Field Manual’’ 

and ‘‘Lessons from the Locker Room.’’ 

A passionate advocate for international adoption, Kris advocated for 

adoption awareness and established the 

Kyle Reagan Foundation, which raises 

money to help adopt children from 

abroad. 

In Tennessee, Kris has been active as 

well in coordinating the 2012 Anderson 

County National Day of Prayer, in running the Summer Skills Basketball 

Camp at Second Baptist Church, and in 

ministering to local officials. 

In addition to his strong ties to Tennessee, Kris also has a Washington connection. He served as assistant communications director for the D. James 

Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship on Capitol Hill from 2004 to 

2006. While on Capitol Hill, he performed outreach to Members and staff. 

A native of Indiana, Kris received his 

BA from the University of Southern Indiana and his master’s degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Along with his wife, Missy, and his 

children, Kyle and Sammi, I would like 

to thank Kris, and I am pleased that he 

could join us in prayer. 

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. 

CHAFFETZ). The Chair will entertain 15 

further requests for 1-minute speeches 

on each side of the aisle. 

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WE NEED A FARM BILL NOW 

(Mr. CRAWFORD asked and was 

given permission to address the House 

for 1 minute.) 

Mr. CRAWFORD. During the month 

of August, I traveled throughout my 

Arkansas district, listening to the 

challenges family farmers are facing 

with record drought conditions. Even 

though the House did pass an important drought relief package, we need to 


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