ATLANTA — Two Atlanta area Veterans Affairs buildings will soon be renamed for former Georgia senators, after the U.S. House passed bills authorizing the renaming of the buildings on Thursday.
Those bills will now require only the signature of President Joe Biden for the renamings to officially take effect.
The bills will rename the VA Regional Office in Decatur for former Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson and the VA Medical Center in Atlanta for former Democratic Sen. Max Cleland.
Both longtime titans of Georgia politics died in 2021.
Georgia lawmakers including Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock introduced both bills in the Senate and and Reps. Nikema Williams, Sanford Bishop Jr. and Rick Allen were among those to introduce either bill in the House.
"Passed! The House just sent my and @SenatorWarnock's legislation to the President's desk: we're renaming the Atlanta Veterans' Affairs Medical Center in honor of Senator Max Cleland, a statesman who represented the best of Georgia," Rep. Williams tweeted.
“Our veterans deserve the best, and Senator Isakson always fought for them. 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,” Sen. Ossoff said in a statement. “It’s fitting that we passed this bill to rename the VA office after Senator Isakson with support of Republicans and Democrats.”
The bills passed in the Senate earlier this year.
“I am proud the House took a crucial step to preserve the legacy of our late dear friend, Senator Johnny Isakson,” Sen. Warnock said in a statement. “Senator Isakson cared deeply for Georgia and for our veterans, and it is only fitting that we recognize his commitment to our servicemembers by renaming the Atlanta regional office of the Department of Veterans Affairs in his honor.”
Rep. Allen, an Augusta Republican, said: “Throughout his life, Senator Isakson distinguished himself as a man of character with an unmatched dedication to the people of Georgia, and I am proud to co-lead this legislation to dedicate the VA’s Regional Office in Atlanta as a living monument to his tireless work in advancing policies that benefit our nation’s veterans."
Rep. Bishop, a Columbus Democrat, said: "Johnny Isakson was a proud son of Georgia who worked tirelessly for the well-being of its people and all Americans. I had the pleasure of working with him both in the Georgia state legislature and as colleagues in Congress and was fortunate to call him my friend. Renaming the VA regional office in Atlanta after former Senator Isakson is a fitting tribute to a man who was at the vanguard of ensuring that Congress fulfills its commitment to provide the care and resources America’s veterans have earned."
