[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 153 (Thursday, October 13, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6511-S6512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. Cantwell):
  S. 1705. A bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Mann-Grandstaff 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''; to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce legislation 
to name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane, 
WA, after two Medal of Honor recipients, Private First Class Joe E. 
Mann and Platoon Sergeant Bruce A. Grandstaff. My colleague Senator 
Cantwell is joining me to introduce this bill in the Senate. This 
proposal has received widespread support from the Washington state 
chapters of several key national veterans service organizations, 
including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, AMVETS, 
Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Vietnam 
Veterans of America.
  I would like to share something about these two heroes. Private Mann 
was born in Reardan, Washington, and served in the 101st Airborne 
Division during World War II. While attempting to seize the bridge 
across the Wilhelmina Canal, his platoon was isolated, surrounded, and 
outnumbered by enemy forces. Despite heavy enemy fire, he bravely 
advanced to within rocket-launching range of the enemy as the lead 
scout. Private Mann was wounded four separate times while destroying an 
enemy artillery position near Best, Holland. Despite his wounds, he 
volunteered to stay on sentry duty that night with both his arms 
bandaged to his body. The following day when the final assault came, an 
enemy grenade was thrown in his vicinity. Unable to throw it to safety 
due to his

[[Page S6512]]

wounds and bandages, Private Mann threw himself on the grenade, 
sacrificing his life to save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
  Sergeant Grandstaff was born in Spokane, Washington, and served in 
the 4th Infantry Division. While leading a reconnaissance mission near 
the Cambodian border, Sergeant Grandstaff's platoon was ambushed by 
heavy automatic weapons and small arms fire from three directions. He 
ran through enemy fire to rescue his wounded men, but was only able to 
save one. Twice he crawled outside the safety of his unit's position to 
mark their location with smoke grenades for aerial fire support, and 
twice he was wounded. His second marker successfully notified the 
helicopter gunships of his location, but drew even more enemy fire. 
Seeing the enemy assault about to overrun his position, Sergeant 
Grandstaff inspired his remaining men to continue the fight against 
enemy forces. He called in an artillery barrage on himself to thwart 
the enemy forces, and continued to fight until he was finally and 
mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. Although every man in his unit was 
a casualty, survivors testified that his spirit and courage inspired 
the unit to inflict heavy casualties on the assaulting enemy even 
though the odds were stacked against them.
  I am especially proud to introduce this bill. Its purpose is to honor 
not just one American hero, but two native sons of Washington who gave 
their lives fighting on behalf of our nation. Also, both of these men 
now rest in peace approximately 10 minutes away from the Spokane VA 
Medical Center, which serves veterans of all generations, from World 
War II to Vietnam to our newest generation of American heroes.
  Above all else, this bill is intended to honor both Private Mann and 
Sergeant Grandstaff for their ``conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity 
at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.'' By renaming 
the Spokane VA Medical Center as the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, 
we will honor the service and ultimate sacrifice provided by these two 
local heroes. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and 
thank them for their continued support of our dedicated men and women 
in uniform.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1705

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF MANN-GRANDSTAFF DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER.

       (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, shall after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
     ``Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center''.
       (b) References.--Any reference to in any law, regulation, 
     map, document, record, or other paper of the United States to 
     the medical center referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
     considered to be a reference to the Mann-Grandstaff 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
                                 ______