To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, as the "Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic".

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my bill, H.R. 4307, which would name the VA veterans health clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, in honor of Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, a southern New Mexican who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.

Alejandro Ruiz was ultimately a sergeant in the United States Army. He was born and raised in Loving, New Mexico, down in southern Eddy County. When war broke out, he traveled north to Carlsbad and enlisted in the Army. After basic training, he was assigned to the 27th Infantry Division.

The 27th Infantry Division was part of the largest amphibious operation in the Pacific theater, the Allied invasion of Okinawa, code name Operation Iceberg. It was during this invasion that, on April 28, 1945, Private Ruiz' unit was pinned down by machine gun fire from a camouflaged Japanese pillbox. They were unable to advance until Ruiz grabbed an automatic rifle and charged the pillbox, right in the face of machine gun fire and grenades. Unfortunately, his rifle jammed, and one of the enemies attacked Ruiz. Without hesitation, he used the rifle as a club and beat back his enemy. Ruiz then returned to his original position, all the while under fire from machine guns and grenades from the pillbox. On his second attempt to free his unit, Ruiz was able to overtake the enemy pillbox and save the lives of fellow soldiers.

For his actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Truman on June 26, 1946, in a ceremony at the White House.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I stand before you to honor this American hero. We should all work every day to remember individuals like Sergeant Ruiz. He and the multitudes of his fellow Americans who battled for the freedom of Europe, Asia, and the Americas left the world a legacy of liberty, security, and prosperity.

After the war, Sergeant Ruiz would tell the story of how he came to serve in the Army. As a young man working for a cattle farmer in Carlsbad, he was told to transport an animal to another farm. Now, I am as familiar with the long, lonely roads of southern New Mexico as much as anyone is, and I can tell you, your mind wanders on those long drives. That day more than a half a century ago, Mr. Ruiz' mind wandered to thoughts of a girlfriend. Well, those thoughts in mind, he drove straight to Barstow, Texas, 122 miles away, to speak with that young woman, and he brought the cow with him. Seeing as he'd now stolen a cow, Mr. Ruiz was detained, and the judge told Mr. Ruiz he would either be sent to jail for taking the cow or he could enlist in the Army. He chose the Army.

Sergeant Ruiz died on November 20, 2009. He was survived by two children, Selia Ruiz and Alejandro Ruiz, Jr., a sister, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, Sergeant Ruiz was a member of the Greatest Generation. As that generation grows older and many of them leave this Earth, it is important that their sacrifices, their acts of heroism, their accomplishments, and, of course, their names not be forgotten. It would be a great mistake for us to forget how the lives we live today, the freedoms we cherish, and the comforts we enjoy were earned by the heroism of Sergeant Ruiz, the blood of his fellow soldiers, and the sacrifice of an entire Nation.

Madam Speaker, upon enactment of this bill, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic located at 1700 West Main Street in Artesia, New Mexico, will bear the name of Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, the son, citizen, and defender of a grateful Nation.

I thank Chairman Filner for his support, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. BUYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I would like to thank Mr. Teague for bringing this legislation and thank Mr. Filner for bringing it to the floor.

Any time I get to read the history and hear the stories of such extraordinary Americans, it's only fitting that we can actually place their name on such buildings that are going to be able to care for so many people. This is a very fitting memorial to his service to country.

Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4307, a bill to rename the Artesia Community Outpatient Clinic after Alejandro Renteria Ruiz, a much decorated World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater and is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Ruiz received the Medal of Honor during the World War II conquest of the Japanese island of Okinawa on April 28, 1945. Master Sgt. Ruiz summoned the courage to charge a Japanese pillbox under a hail of machine gun fire and was able to neutralize it. He singlehandedly saved the lives of his 165th infantry comrades and eliminated an obstacle that would have checked his unit's advance. When his comrades recommended him for the Medal of Honor, Ruiz did not want to hear their accolades, instead choosing to focus on daily battles in Okinawa. Such courage and humility makes for an extraordinary person and soldier.

Ruiz is a hero who continued to serve his nation in the military, serving in the Korean War and retiring as a Master Sergeant in the mid 1960s. He lived at the Veterans Home in Yountville, Calif., near Napa and recently passed away on November 20th, 2009.

Ruiz frequently attended veteran reunions once he retired from the military, as well as Veteran Commemorate Conventions to honor his comrades. At these conventions, he stressed the importance of Japanese and American cooperation and understanding. Even though he had fought the Japanese during the war, he agreed that today America and Japan are friends and allies and fervently upheld a message of peace.

Ruiz is also among forty-three men of Hispanic heritage who have been awarded the Medal of Honor. His story should inspire every American.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4307. Passage of this bill is an appropriate way to honor a great American. I thank Mr. Teague for introducing this bill, and Chairman Filner for moving this bill to the floor for consideration.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4307) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based

outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, as the ``Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, sponsored by Mr. Teague of New Mexico, that names the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Artesia, New Mexico, as the Alejandro Renteria Ruiz Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.

Alejandro Ruiz of Loving, New Mexico, enlisted as an infantryman in the United States Army in 1944. He went on to serve with the 27th Infantry Division in the Pacific theatre of operations during the Second World War.

While advancing with his unit on the island of Okinawa, Private First Class Ruiz and his fellow soldiers came under intense automatic weapons fire from an enemy fighting position on the slopes of a narrow ravine.

In response, Ruiz exposed himself to the hail of bullets on his own initiative and stormed the enemy position. After being repulsed once, he returned to gather more ammunition and made a second assault on the pillbox, singlehandedly neutralizing the enemy position and saving the lives of his fellow soldiers.

For his actions on Okinawa, Private First Class Alejandro Renteria Ruiz was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Truman on June 26, 1946, at the White House in Washington, DC.

Mr. Ruiz went on to serve in the Korean War and eventually retired from the Army as a Master Sergeant in the 1960s.

I'm sad to say that Mr. Ruiz passed away shortly before this bill was formally introduced, but I am very proud to honor his legacy of courage and patriotism by supporting H.R. 4307.

I urge the House to join Mr. Teague in support of this bill and help to commemorate the valor of this great American.

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Teague) to explain the bill.

I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Teague) for bringing us this important resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 405, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''