The U.S. Senate passed Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff’s bipartisan bill to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Atlanta Regional Office in honor of the late Georgia U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson on Thursday.
“The bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office in Georgia as the Senator Johnny Isakson Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office, or the Isakson VA Atlanta Regional Office,” the Senate Periodicals account said in a Tuesday tweet.
The bill was passed unanimously as “S. 4359, Senator Johnny Isakson VA Regional Office Act of 2022.”
“[This will] recognize a true legend of the U.S. Senate, an extraordinary father, husband, and representative of this state,” Senator Ossoff (D) said.
Isakson was born in Fulton County in Atlanta on December 28, 1994 and graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens in 1966 before serving in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966 to 1972.
“I was proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation in the House and I applaud the Senate for unanimously passing the companion bill last night,” Representative Rick W. Allen (R-GA-12) said.
He was a member of the Georgia State General Assembly from 1976 to 1990 before an unsuccessful run for governor in 1990. Isakson was also a member of the Georgia State Senate from 1993 to 1996 and was elected to fill the vacancy created by U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich in the 106th Congress.
“Those fortunate enough to have known Senator Isakson know how deeply he cared for veterans, especially those from Georgia. Renaming the Atlanta VA in his name is an appropriate tribute to this man who tried to do what was right each day for Georgia’s veterans,” GA-07 candidate Mark Gonsalves told The Georgia Star News.
Isakson was re-elected to two successive congresses before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004.
“Senator Isakson was well known as a big advocate for veterans. It is fitting the Veterans Affairs building is named after him,” Atlanta Tea Party President Debbie Dooley said to The Georgia Star News.
Isakson was re-elected to the U.S. Senate in both 2010 and 2016, officially serving from January 3, 2005 until his resignation on December 31, 2019.
“He earned a reputation not just nationally but around the world for statesmanship, effectiveness and hard work,” Ossoff (D) said of the late Isakson.
Isakson also served as the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chairman and as a member on the Select Committee on Ethics.
“There are just two kinds of people in this world: friends and future friends,” the late Georgia senator liked to say.
– – –
Addison Basurto is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Addy on Twitter and GETTR. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Johnny Isakson” by Johnny Isakson.
