[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4533 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.4533

                     One Hundred Fifteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
           the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen


                                 An Act


 
   To designate the health care system of the Department of Veterans 
   Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Lexington VA Health Care 
            System'' and to make certain other designations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
    Congress finds the following:
        (1)(A) Private First Class Franklin Runyon Sousley was born on 
    September 19, 1925, in Hilltop, Kentucky. Sousley served as a 
    marine in the United States Marine Corps during the period 
    beginning on January 5, 1944, and ending March 21, 1945. Sousley 
    graduated from Fleming County High School in May 1943 and chose to 
    enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Upon completion of 
    military basic training, he was assigned to Company E, 2d 
    Battalion, 28th Marines, of the 5th Marines Division at Camp 
    Pendleton, California, as an automatic rifleman.
        (B) Private Sousley was promoted to a private first class on 
    November 22, 1944. Pfc. Sousley landed on Iwo Jima on Friday, 
    February 19, 1945, and actively fought in the battle for the 
    islands. During the intense fighting, members of the United States 
    Armed Forces secured Mount Suribachi and hoisted a United States 
    flag on top of the summit on February 23, 1945. On February 23, 
    1945, Pfc. Sousley, alongside Corporal Harlon Block, HM John 
    Bradley, Pfc. Rene Gagnon, Pfc. Ira Hayes, and Sergeant Michael 
    Strank followed orders to raise a larger United States flag so it 
    could be seen over the island. The iconic photograph taken of the 
    six men, while they raised the United States flag attached to a 
    heavy Japanese pipe has led to an immortalized symbol of American 
    bravery, perseverance, and sacrifice endured by members of the 
    United States Armed Forces during the intense battles of World War 
    II. Pfc. Sousley was killed in combat by a Japanese sniper around 
    Kitano Point on March 21, 1945.
        (C) Originally buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery at 
    Iwo Jima in plot 9, row 8, grave 2189, on March 22, 1945, his 
    remains were returned to the United States on May 8, 1947, where he 
    was finally laid to rest at Elizaville Cemetery in Fleming County, 
    Kentucky. Pfc. Sousley was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, 
    the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with \5/
    16\" Silver Star, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific 
    Campaign Medal with \3/16\" Bronze Star, and the World War II 
    Victory Medal.
        (2)(A) Mr. Troy Bowling was born on July 2, 1926, in Hamilton, 
    Ohio and completed his life's service on June, 17, 2017, at the age 
    of 90 years old. At age 17, Mr. Bowling began his service as a 
    United States Marine and was a proud member of the Easy Company, 
    2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Division. During the United States 
    campaign to end the war against Japan, Mr. Bowling's unit was among 
    the first to arrive on the beachheads of Iwo Jima.
        (B) While attempting to secure Mt. Suribachi, his unit came 
    under intense and concentrated fire, completely overwhelming his 
    unit. Two projectiles struck Mr. Bowling in the chest and leg, 
    leaving him critically wounded on the battlefield. At that moment, 
    Mr. Bowling said he looked to the heavens and committed to serving 
    mankind for the rest of his life if he survived.
        (C) Miraculously, a combat photographer and medical team then 
    carried Mr. Bowling to the safety of a landing craft where he 
    witnessed the planting of the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi--an 
    iconic image that persists as one of the most legendary and 
    triumphant moments of the war. The United States Marines eventually 
    took control of the island; however, this victory came at a heavy 
    cost as more than 6,800 United States service members gave their 
    lives during the battle of Iwo Jima.
        (D) In keeping faith with his commitment to God made during 
    that battle, Mr. Bowling devoted more than 78,000 hours of 
    volunteer service to others at the Lexington VA Medical Center. For 
    more than 66 years, Mr. Bowling has risen through the ranks within 
    the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization, holding nearly 
    every position possible, including State Commander. Mr. Bowling 
    received the George H. Seal Award for outstanding volunteer, which 
    he received at the 2005 National DAV Convention in Las Vegas and 
    the Lifetime Service Achievement Award from the Department of 
    Veteran Affairs. Mr. Bowling was also nominated and selected to be 
    inducted in the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame for his lifetime of 
    service to veterans.
SEC. 2. LEXINGTON VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
    (a) Designation.--The health care system of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, shall after the date of the 
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ``Lexington VA 
Health Care System''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health 
care system referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a 
reference to the ``Lexington VA Health Care System''.
SEC. 3. TROY BOWLING CAMPUS.
    (a) Designation.--The health care facility of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs located at 1101 Veterans Drive in Lexington, Kentucky, 
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and 
designated as the ``Troy Bowling Campus''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health 
care facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a 
reference to the ``Troy Bowling Campus''.
SEC. 4. FRANKLIN R. SOUSLEY CAMPUS.
    (a) Designation.--The health care facility of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs located at 2250 Leestown Road in Lexington, Kentucky, 
shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and 
designated as the ``Franklin R. Sousley Campus''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the health 
care facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a 
reference to the ``Franklin R. Sousley Campus''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.