To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Columbus, Georgia, as the "Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic".

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3475) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Columbus, Georgia, as the ``Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3475.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of Colonel Robert S. Poydasheff, who passed away on September 24, 2020.

I thank my colleague, Representative Sanford Bishop from Georgia, for introducing this legislation so that we can pay tribute to a distinguished servicemember who advocated for veterans throughout his life.

Robert Poydasheff received his bachelor of arts in political science from The Citadel in 1954. In 1955, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army as an infantry officer. After completing his law education at Tulane University, Mr. Poydasheff continued his military career in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

Mr. Poydasheff was appointed as legal counsel for the Secretary of the Army, helping to shape better policy for all Army soldiers. He graduated from the United States Army War College in 1976 and retired in 1979, achieving the rank of colonel.

During Colonel Poydasheff's 24 years of military service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, and a Vietnam Ribbon with four battle stars. He truly embodied the highest qualities of military distinction.

After retiring from the Army, Colonel Poydasheff was called to serve his community in Georgia. He served on the Columbus, Georgia, City Council from 1994 to 2002, concurrently serving the soldiers at Fort Benning. He went on to be elected as the mayor of Columbus in 2002. In 2012, Colonel Poydasheff was honored by the Army War College Foundation as an outstanding alumnus.

H.R. 3475 has letters of support from The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record those letters of support.

The American Legion,

Department of Georgia,

Stockbridge, GA, April 7, 2021.

Hon. Mark Takano,

Chairman,

Hon. Mike Bost,

Ranking Member,

House Committee on Veterans Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman and Mr. Ranking Member: This letter is to

serve as written support from the American Legion, Department

of Georgia for the legislation to be introduced which will

name the new Veterans Administration Clinic in Columbus,

Georgia as the ``Robert S. Poydasheff Veterans Clinic.''

It is befitting to bestow this honor on Robert Poydasheff,

who passed away September 2020, and who served as City

Council (1994-2002) and subsequently as Mayor of Columbus

(2003-2007). Throughout his mayorship, he was a strong

advocate for veterans in the Columbus community. He, too, was

a veteran who served in the US Army 24 years before retiring

as a Colonel. His military service began as an Infantry

Officer with a combat tour in Vietnam. He later transferred

to the Judge Advocate General Corps where he worked in

various positions for the Secretary of the Army. Mayor

Poydasheff embodied the Army values of loyalty, duty,

respect, and selfless service to fellow veterans and to this

country.

It is with honor that the American Legion, Department of

Georgia, supports this effort to name the Columbus Veterans

Clinic after Robert S. Poydasheff, a very distinguished

member of the community.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to

contact me or the Adjutant, Department of Georgia, Zeste C.

Debro.

For God and Country . . .

Sincerely,

Eddie Asberry, Jr.,

Commander, Department of Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I enthusiastically support the naming of the Columbus, Georgia, VA Community Clinic in Robert S. Poydasheff's honor.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), my good friend, the chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations, and also a former member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 3475, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair, Chair Takano, for yielding time. I thank the ranking member, along with you and the entire Committee on Veterans' Affairs for all the work that you do in support of our Nation's veterans and, of course, this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague, Drew Ferguson, in offering this legislation to honor the former mayor of Columbus, Georgia, Colonel Robert Stephen ``Bob'' Poydasheff, Sr.

The naming of this VA clinic in Columbus for Bob Poydasheff honors a great champion of veterans, an exceptional soldier, a distinguished public servant, and a dear friend.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, and the Disabled American Veterans, and it is cosponsored by every single member of the Georgia congressional delegation.

Sadly, Bob passed away last year on September 24. He was a native of the Bronx, New York, and he was born with an innate determination to excel, which was apparent in virtually every single aspect of his life. He served honorably in the United States Army for 24 years, and he retired at the rank of colonel.

He began his distinguished military career as an infantry officer, serving one combat tour in Vietnam before transferring to the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

In recognition of his service to our country, he received the Vietnam Ribbon, the Legion of Merit, and the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He was also elected to the Ranger Hall of Fame, located at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Following his military service, Bob Poydasheff made Columbus, Georgia, his permanent home. Through his leadership, first as a member of the city council, then as mayor of the city, Columbus experienced extraordinary growth and prosperity.

He was a longtime advocate working on behalf of disadvantaged veterans, including supporting the location of the new VA clinic in Columbus, which this bill will name in his honor. Bob will be missed, but his legacy will live on through the lives of veterans who will be helped at this clinic.

It has been said that you make your living by what you get, you make your life by what you give. Robert S. ``Bob'' Poydasheff gave so much to so many for so long, and this clinic memorializes his legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and my colleague, from Georgia, Drew Ferguson, the entire Georgia delegation, the VFW, the American Legion, the DAV, in supporting this bill to name the new community-based outpatient VA clinic in Columbus, Georgia, the Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3475, a bill to name the VA community-based outpatient clinic, or the CBOC, in Columbus, Georgia, the Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic. I am grateful to Congressman Sanford Bishop from Georgia for introducing this bill.

Mr. Poydasheff was a soldier in the United States Army for 24 years. He served as an infantry officer in Vietnam and later as a judge advocate. He continued to serve his country and community after his time in the Army by pursuing a career in public service and elected office.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in supporting this bill today in honor of him, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in that, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3475, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.