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.

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 fami- lies, 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 Cap- ital to ensure that veterans and military communities are properly cared for by the Government that creates them; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR434.IH HR434 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HRES 434 IH Whereas Bob received three Purple Hearts for injuries sus- tained in Vietnam as a member of the Marine Corps, re- turned 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 Univer- sity 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 ap- pointed 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 im- plement 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR434.IH HR434 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HRES 434 IH 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 organiza- tion 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 bat- tles 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 De- fense 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 hands- on approach to ensure the governments of former en- emies 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 tran- scends politics: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 1 (1) salutes the leadership, guidance, and friend- 2 ship of Robert E. Wallace at the helm of the VFW 3 Washington Office for the past 23 years; he met 4 every challenge and the VFW, veterans, members of 5 the Armed Forces, and their families everywhere are 6 better off for his faithful service and advocacy; and 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR434.IH HR434 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HRES 434 IH (2) wishes him best wishes in his retirement, 1 where every day is Veterans Day. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR434.IH HR434 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS