ATLANTA – Two Atlanta-area Veterans Affairs buildings are being renamed for two former U.S. senators from Georgia who served as longtime advocates for America’s veterans.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills last week that authorized renaming the VA Regional Office in Decatur after the late Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson and the VA Medical Center in Atlanta for former Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, who died late last year.
“Our veterans deserve the best, and Senator Isakson always fought for them,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., sponsor of the bipartisan bill honoring Isakson. “Renaming the Atlanta VA Regional Office in his honor will inspire us to stand up for Georgia’s veterans every day like Senator Isakson did.”
Cleland, who lost both of his legs and right arm serving in Vietnam, served as administrator of the VA under then-President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s and later spent one term in the Senate.
“Max Cleland was an empathetic leader and a passionate patriot with a warrior’s heart for our veterans and for Georgia,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who sponsored the legislation honoring Cleland. “His life and legacy will live forever in our hearts.”
Both bills passed the House last week with bipartisan support after clearing the Senate earlier this year. They now head to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.