IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 434 

Expressing the appreciation of the House of Representatives for Robert E. 

Wallace, retiring Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars 

of the United States, Washington Office. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 10, 2019 

Mr. TAKANO (for himself and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the appreciation of the House of Representatives 

for Robert E. Wallace, retiring Executive Director of 

the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, 

Washington Office. 

Whereas the congressionally-chartered Veterans of Foreign 

Wars of the United States (hereinafter, ‘‘VFW’’) has, 

since its founding in 1899, existed to serve United States 

veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families, wherever they reside or are assigned; 

Whereas since 1996, Robert E. ‘‘Bob’’ Wallace, has helped 

lead the VFW Washington Office, which this year marks 

a centennial of service and advocacy in our Nation’s Capital to ensure that veterans and military communities are 

properly cared for by the Government that creates them; 


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Whereas Bob received three Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in Vietnam as a member of the Marine Corps, returned home to pursue a career in banking after earning 

a bachelor of science degree from Rutgers University and 

a master’s degree in business administration from 

Fairleigh Dickinson University, as well as graduating 

from the School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin; 

Whereas Bob joined the VFW while in Vietnam and would 

be the recipient of the national organization’s 1979 

Young Veteran of the Year award, as well as from his 

home State of New Jersey, and he would go on to appointed and to elected VFW positions, including being 

the first Vietnam veteran and the youngest veteran to 

command the VFW Department of New Jersey from 

1980 to 1981, and culminating in his being elected as the 

VFW National Commander from 1991 to 1992; 

Whereas Bob has worked with five United States Presidents 

and a countless number of members of Congress, their 

staffs and fellow veterans organizations’ leadership to implement change for America’s veterans, members of the 

Armed Forces, and their families; his is a voice of reason 

and motivation, coupled with a can-do attitude to meet 

every challenge that improves the quality of life of the 

military and veterans communities he serves; 

Whereas the VFW’s service officer program impacts lives, 

and Bob’s direct oversight of VFW National Veterans 

Service has enabled a nationwide and international cadre 

of 2,100 accredited service officers to recoup $8.3 billion 

in earned disability benefits for more than 526,000 

wounded, ill, and injured veterans in 2018 alone; 


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Whereas the VFW’s advocacy on Capitol Hill creates change 

that affects lives, and Bob’s direct oversight of the VFW 

National Legislative Service ensured that the organization continued to have its fingerprints on every piece of 

quality-of-life legislation signed into law at the end of the 

20th century and well into the 21st; 

Whereas Bob’s proudest legislative accomplishments are 

many, from Department of Veterans Affairs funding battles prior to the signing of advanced appropriations, to 

the Millennium Act, significant improvements to the 

Montgomery GI Bill, the GI Bill for the 21st Century, 

and the Forever GI Bill, as well the passage of the VOW 

to Hire Heroes Act, appeals reform, expansion of the 

Caregiver program, and the new VA/Department of Defense electronic medical record, among numerous others; 

and 

Whereas the VFW’s support of our Nation’s Full Accounting 

mission is without peer because of Bob Wallace’s handson approach to ensure the governments of former enemies know from a veteran’s perspective—and from a 

family perspective—that the return of fallen members of 

the Armed Forces is a humanitarian mission that transcends politics: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) salutes the leadership, guidance, and friend3 ship of Robert E. Wallace at the helm of the VFW 

4 Washington Office for the past 23 years; he met 

5 every challenge and the VFW, veterans, members of 

6 the Armed Forces, and their families everywhere are 

7 better off for his faithful service and advocacy; and 


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1 (2) wishes him best wishes in his retirement, 

2 where every day is Veterans Day. 

Æ 


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