CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions Of

January 6, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E31 ‘‘Joyce shared this story about her ex-hus- and stability, through force projection, in the on health care policy, Dr. Gurel’s trek of over band. He had recently had an accident at Asia-Pacific region. 700 miles in one month is admirable, and the work. This was covered by Workmen’s Com- Mr. Speaker, General Chandler has dem- lives of the people he met along the way will pensation. The emergency visit went fine but onstrated exceptional meritorious service dur- he needed two heparin shots in follow-up vis- be remembered forever through his monu- its to the doctor. The doctor wanted $1,000 ing his career with the United States Air Force mental effort. up-front even though they knew that Work- and has become a distinguished leader to air- f men’s Comp would cover it (although the re- men stationed on Guam, Guam Air Guards- ceiving the reimbursement often took men, indeed all airmen and women across this REMEMBERING TOM months). ‘They wouldn’t give him the shots country. I wish the very best to General Chan- VANDERGRIFF without the up-front payment,’ and it ended dler; his wife Eva-Marie; and their three chil- up that his boss loaned him the money. ‘See,’ dren, Carl, Rose-Marie, and Thomas. HON. JOE BARTON Joyce added, ‘even when you do have insur- OF TEXAS ance sometimes it doesn’t mean nothing.’ ’’ f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Joyce—Lisbon, 7/13/2009 A TRIBUTE TO THOMAS S. ‘‘For the past eleven years, Gary has had Thursday, January 6, 2011 Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes). ‘‘TOMMY’’ SAMPSON Up until recently, he has never had insur- Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I, ance. But thankfully, ‘the doctors have HON. BRETT GUTHRIE along with Representatives BURGESS, GRANG- ER ARCHANT taken care of me,’ he said. He did tell me OF KENTUCKY and M , wish to inform the House about a knee operation that cost him about that on December 30, 2010, the great State of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES $10,000. ‘But now,’ he said, ’his wife has a job, Texas lost a lion. Tom Vandergriff, former which comes with insurance, and so I’m cov- Thursday, January 6, 2011 mayor of Arlington, Texas, former County ered.’ ’’ Gary—Lisbon, 7/13/2009 Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Judge of Tarrant County, and former Member f honor the memory of a remarkable Ken- of the United States Congress, left this life at IN TRIBUTE TO GENERAL CAR- tuckian, Mr. Thomas S. ‘‘Tommy’’ Sampson, the age of 84. All of us in north Texas will ROLL H. ‘‘HOWIE’’ CHANDLER ON Jr. Over the course of his life, Tommy truly ex- mark time from the moment we heard of the THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIRE- emplified what it meant to help others. loss. The loss is monumental. MENT FROM THE UNITED He dedicated his life to public service, serv- Few people have had such a positive im- STATES AIR FORCE ing as coroner, deputy sheriff, police chief and pact on the development and quality of life of ambulance driver. Tommy is most widely north Texas, and no one has had a greater HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO known for being a pioneer in emergency medi- impact on Arlington. His friends and admirers are legion, his accomplishments legendary. He OF GUAM cine as the founder and longtime director of was the personification of an ideal, the ideal of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Shelby County’s Emergency Medical Services. Throughout all his roles, Tommy was known a selflessly devoted public servant who always Thursday, January 6, 2011 for his kindness, cheerfulness and passion for put the people ahead of personal gain or am- Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today helping others. bition. to recognize and commend General Carroll Tommy was not only dedicated to his com- Arlington history is generally divided into two ‘‘Howie’’ Chandler for his distinguished 36 munity, but also to his family, and enjoyed epochs: BV and AV, Before Vandergriff and years of service and commitment to the United spending time with his wife Beverly, his son After Vandergriff. He first sought and won States Air Force. General Chandler has dedi- Clark and daughter-in-law Melinda, and his elective office in 1951 when he became the cated his life to the service of this great Nation grandchildren Jimmy, Collin and Madison. ‘‘boy mayor’’ of Arlington at the age of 25. At and I appreciate his leadership efforts with the While Kentucky may never again see one of the time Arlington was a small town on the Air Force particularly in the Pacific area of re- its finest sons, the evidence of his legacy will railroad midway between Dallas and Fort sponsibility. be visible in the countless lives that he Worth. Vandergriff saw the town’s potential I had the privilege of working with General touched. and set out to make it a center of prosperity Chandler on several initiatives that directly im- I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring in its own right while fostering a new spirit of proved the quality of lives of our men and Tommy Sampson for his many great contribu- cooperation within the north Texas region. Ar- women in uniform on Guam and the Western tions to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He lington, now the 49th largest city in the U.S. Pacific. He was instrumental in ensuring the will forever be appreciated and remembered with 370,000 people, would never be the Administration budgeted for several key mili- by a grateful community. same, and neither would north Texas. Indeed, tary construction projects on Guam that di- f it was Vandergriff who coined the phrase, rectly improved the quality of life for airmen at ‘‘Metroplex,’’ which is still the term usually ap- Andersen Air Force Base. His directive to ren- IN HONOR OF DR. OGAN GUREL plied to describe the Dallas-Fort Worth area. ovate Building 21000 on Andersen Air Force His first major achievement was convincing Base will be critical to more effectively and ef- HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH General Motors executives to locate their new ficiently using space and facilities to meet mis- OF OHIO automobile assembly plant in Arlington. His sion requirements. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES family owned a Chevrolet dealership in town, Further, I particularly appreciated General which gave him access to General Motors Chandler’s leadership in granting local base Thursday, January 6, 2011 Corp. Upon hearing that GM planned to build commanders with the authority and flexibility Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in a plant in north Texas, he sold Arlington as a to address a variety of local issues. Chief honor of Dr. Ogan Gurel, M.D., for the Walk superior location by telling GM, as he would among those issues was resolution of access for Healthcare, in which he walked from Chi- later tell the story, that if they put the plant in for landlocked private property landowners in cago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., in June and Dallas, it would make Fort Worth angry; if they northern Guam. General Chandler recognized July of 2009. put it in Fort Worth, it would make Dallas the importance of empowering local com- Dr. Gurel received his M.D. from Columbia angry. He ended his pitch by convincing them manders on the ground to identify solutions to University, where he started his career in that if they put it in Arlington, everybody would longstanding problems that go a long way to- health care. He has held a variety of jobs in be happy. The plant produced its first auto- wards improving the civilian and military com- the industry, including positions in medical re- mobile in 1954 and today is the only GM plant munity relationship on Guam. He recognized search, media, and consulting. During his 700- in the U.S. that makes full-size SUVs. the importance of working together as a key to mile, month-long journey, he spoke with ordi- The GM plant began a building boom in Ar- strengthening bonds in the community. nary people, many of whom were uninsured lington that has lasted more than 55 years. General Chandler also recognized Guam’s and struggling to pay for their health care, Knowing a small town on well water could not strategic importance to our Nation’s defense. about what they thought of health care reform. sustain rapid growth nor accommodate the As Commander of Pacific Air Forces and then He collected their stories and took their pic- needs of industry, Vandergriff convinced the as Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, tures. voters of Arlington to pass an initiative to build General Chandler has consistently dem- Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me a large reservoir to meet the town’s future onstrated through allocation of resources that in honoring Dr. Ogan Gurel for the dedication needs. The effort proved to be as controver- Guam and Andersen Air Force Base remain and persistence he demonstrated in his Walk sial as it was monumental for a small town, vital to the protection of our national interests for Healthcare. Regardless of party or position but the initiative passed, and Lake Arlington VerDate Mar 15 2010 05:43 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K06JA8.014 E06JAPT1 pwalker on DSKD5P82C1PROD with REMARKS E32 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 6, 2011 was built. The project was ridiculed by many advocate for regionalism well into his eighties, HONORING THE CITY OF GLAD- in Arlington and dismissed by others in the re- and the economic might of the region is a tes- STONE, OREGON, ON ITS 100TH gion as ‘‘Vandergriff’s Folly,’’ but the folly be- tament to that effort.

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