To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Newton, New Jersey, as the "Anthony 'Tony' J. Gallopo VA Clinic".

Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend from New Jersey as well as my friends on the other side for their support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 6007. Today, this House will come together and do something simple but important: honor a great American hero.

Mr. Speaker, Tony Gallopo, as you have heard, was a brave Navy veteran, vice commander of the New Jersey Department of The American Legion, and

commander of American Legion Post 86 in Newton, New Jersey. He spent time in Bergen County and Sussex County. He was a firefighter. He was a man who served and then came back and served more.

For years, my good friend did what a lot of people talk about but few actually do. He fought every single day to make sure our veterans got the healthcare they earned and deserved and to make sure they were looked out for. He never forgot anyone, and that is why he was such a special man. We all miss him.

Tony was instrumental in opening the Sussex County, New Jersey, Veterans Affairs Clinic in 2017, the CBOC. He and I worked side by side, cutting through red tape to get veterans real referrals, real specialists, and real healthcare--healthcare that they earned and deserved.

Sadly, Tony passed away in 2020, leaving behind his wife, Betsy; his brilliant daughters, Ashley, Sarah, and Ally; and an incredible legacy of helping those in need. Today's vote on this bill will honor his name and his work at the very clinic he helped to build.

I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, he literally helped build it. We sat at a picnic bench right outside the clinic many times talking about how we could make it better and how we could deliver more service to veterans.

He never forgot that for a second. He never forgot the country he served, and he never forgot the flag he saluted every day with such great pride.

It is Americans like him we should all look up to. It is Americans like him who built this great country for 250 years. It is why we should honor him today.

This isn't partisan. It is just common sense. It is what we owe every person who ever wore the uniform and protected our great Nation.

I thank his family--Betsy, Ashley, Sarah, and Ally--for sharing Tony with all of us. I know how hard it is right now without him, but his legacy goes on, and it looms large. He lives on. No one has forgotten him for a minute. When we go to The American Legion, we all talk about him. There are pictures everywhere, and he continues to be a light in New Jersey, in our country, and for all of us as somebody we should look up to.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to pass this legislation, and I am so grateful for the bipartisan support. I also urge the Senate--I know Senator Cory Booker has taken the lead on this--to take this up quickly and honor our great hero, Tony Gallopo.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6007) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Newton, New Jersey, as the ``Anthony `Tony' J. Gallopo VA Clinic''.

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

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 6007 to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Newton, New Jersey, as the Anthony ``Tony'' J. Gallopo VA Clinic.

Tony Gallopo proudly served our Nation in the United States Navy. He served courageously and with honor. His service to our Nation did not end there.

Following his service in the Navy, Mr. Gallopo dedicated his life to serving his fellow veterans, working to ensure those who wore the uniform received the care and services and support they earned.

Mr. Gallopo became a trusted advocate for veterans throughout Sussex and Warren Counties, devoting countless hours to improving their quality of life and expanding access to VA healthcare.

He was instrumental in helping establish the VA community-based outpatient clinic in Newton, New Jersey, which opened in 2017 and brought VA healthcare closer to veterans in that community.

His advocacy helped reduce barriers to care and expand access to essential health services for countless numbers of veterans and their families. His community as a whole is better because of all his efforts.

Whether mentoring fellow veterans or advocating for expanding healthcare access, he remained committed to ensuring that those who served our Nation will never be forgotten. Even after decades of public service, he continued asking what more could be done for veterans until he passed in 2020.

By naming the Newton VA community-based outpatient clinic in his honor, Congress would ensure that Tony Gallopo's legacy of service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the veterans in his community lives on for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, individuals like Tony Gallopo are heroes in our communities, and I am honored to help ensure that Congress recognizes that and never forgets these great American stories.

I thank Representative Gottheimer and the entire New Jersey delegation for leading this effort to recognize an extraordinary advocate for our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 6007, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I am ready to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6007, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Newton, New Jersey, after Anthony ``Tony'' Gallopo. I am pleased to have co-led this effort with my colleague from New Jersey, Representative Gottheimer, and pleased to speak in support of this bill today.

Mr. Gallopo was a keystone in the northern New Jersey community. Born in 1961, he grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey, and led a life dedicated to service. Mr. Gallopo was active in his local fire department before enlisting in the Navy.

After serving as a seaman, Mr. Gallopo returned home to become a leader locally in Sussex County, serving as vice commander of the New Jersey Department of The American Legion and commander at American Legion Post 86.

Mr. Gallopo was a tireless advocate, and his dedication to caring for his fellow veterans was unparalleled. Mr. Gallopo hosted roundtables for both students and returning veterans to help them succeed in seeking better job opportunities. His leadership in evaluating student applicants to our Nation's service academies on his congressional district's Service Academy Nomination Selection Committee helped to cultivate the next generation of servicemembers.

Mr. Gallopo was instrumental in the expansion of healthcare for veterans in his community. His advocacy helped lead to the opening of a Sussex County VA community-based outpatient clinic.

Mr. Gallopo's critical role in opening this clinic will continue to benefit veterans in northern New Jersey for generations.

Mr. Gallopo passed away in 2020, but his memory lives on in the countless veterans who have access to healthcare within their local community because of his work. There is no better way to express our gratitude for Mr. Gallopo's lifetime of service to his fellow veterans than to rename the clinic he tirelessly fought to open in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), who is the author of this legislation. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6007 to honor this very deserving veteran, and I yield back the balance of my time.