[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 91 (Thursday, May 25, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3221-S3222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DAINES (for himself and Mr. Tester):
  S. 1282. A bill to redesignate certain clinics of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs located in Montana; to the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I would like to recognize the 
commitment to duty and personal courage of three Montanans by 
introducing a bill to redesignate three Department of Veterans Affairs 
facilities in their honor. Through their distinguished service to our 
Nation, the actions of these three gentlemen have earned the respect 
and gratitude of the Treasure State.
  Under this resolution, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic on 
Palmer Street in Missoula will be designated in honor of David J. 
Thatcher. Mr. Thatcher was an outstanding Montanan. The humble 
circumstances of his upbringing in rural, eastern Montana helped him 
develop a strong work ethic. In 1940, with war raging across Europe and 
the clouds of war on the horizon for the United States, he enlisted in 
the U.S. Army Air Corps.
  Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered to serve as a 
tail gunner for a high risk mission to attack targets deep within 
Japanese controlled territory. This counterattack would be known to 
history as the Doolittle Raid. After finishing the bombing mission and 
running low on fuel, his aircraft crash landed near the coast of China. 
Mr. Thatcher was instrumental in helping the crew reach safety 
following the crash and for his actions during the Doolittle Raid, he 
was awarded the Silver Star. A few years later, the actor Robert Walker 
portrayed Corporal Thatcher on the silver screen in ``Thirty Seconds 
Over Tokyo.'' After the war, Mr. Thatcher embarked on a career with the 
U.S. Postal Service and married his sweetheart Dawn. Their marriage 
spanned seven decades until he passed away last June at the age of 94.
  In Billings, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic on Spring Creek 
Lane will be designated in honor of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow. Dr. 
Medicine Crow was an accomplished warrior and esteemed historian. He 
was born on the Crow Indian Reservation in eastern Montana and traveled 
across the U.S. while pursuing his education. In 1939, Dr. Medicine 
Crow earned his master's degree from the University of Southern 
California, becoming the first member of the Crow Tribe to attain that 
credential. In 1943 he joined the United States Army. While serving as 
an Army scout during World War II, Dr. Medicine Crow fulfilled the four 
requirements to become a war chief. While fighting against the German 
forces he led a war party, stole an enemy horse, disarmed an enemy, and 
touched an enemy without killing him. Later in life he served as the 
Crow tribal historian, received multiple honorary doctorate degrees, 
and spoke at venues across the Nation. He was the last Crow war chief, 
and his passing last April, at the age of 102, was a loss to our 
Nation. For his lifetime of service to the Crow Tribe, the State of 
Montana, and to United States, Dr. Medicine Crow was awarded the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  The Billings Community Based Specialty Clinic located on Majestic 
Lane will be designated in honor of Benjamin Charles Steele. Mr. Steele 
is remembered by Montanans as a ranch hand, teacher, artist, and Bataan 
Death March survivor. Born and raised in Montana, he joined the U.S. 
Army Air Corps in 1940. After he was captured by the Japanese, Mr. 
Steele's sturdy fortitude helped him endure a 66-mile trek in the 
Philippines, a prisoner ship, and a forced labor camp. He was a 
prisoner of war in the Pacific Theater of World War II for a total of 
1,244 days. Using charcoal to sketch on concrete, he withstood the 
harsh treatment in captivity and honed his artistic talents. His 
artistic expressions were captured on contraband paper, and some of the 
works he created in captivity were preserved and went on tour through 
the Nation after the war. In August of last year, we lost a warrior-
artist when Mr. Steele passed away at his home in Montana at the age of 
98.
  The World War II generation produced many heroes. In 2016, Montana 
lost three of our greatest heroes when Thatcher, Medicine Crow and 
Steele completed their earthly tours of duty. In 2017 it is fitting 
that we honor their service and their remarkable lives by naming three 
Veterans Affairs facilities in their honor. Each generation of veterans 
using these facilities will help keep their memories alive. Their 
unique stories will inspire the future generation of warriors to defend 
our

[[Page S3222]]

Nation and preserve our cherished individual liberties.
  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. 1282

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

     SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION OF CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS CLINICS IN MONTANA.

       (a) David J. Thatcher Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Clinic.--
       (1) Designation.--The clinic of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs located at 2687 Palmer Street in Missoula, Montana, 
     shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 
     and designated as the ``David J. Thatcher Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
       (2) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     clinic referred to in paragraph (1) shall be considered to be 
     a reference to the David J. Thatcher Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Clinic.
       (b) Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Clinic.--
       (1) Designation.--The clinic of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs located at 1775 Spring Creek Lane in Billings, 
     Montana, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be 
     known and designated as the ``Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
       (2) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     clinic referred to in paragraph (1) shall be considered to be 
     a reference to the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic.
       (3) Public display of name.--
       (A) In general.--Any local public display of the name of 
     the clinic referred to in paragraph (1) carried out by the 
     United States or through the use of Federal funds shall 
     include the English name, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, and the 
     Crow name, Dakaak Baako, of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow.
       (B) Local display.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), a 
     local public display of the name of the clinic referred to in 
     paragraph (1) includes a display inside the clinic, on the 
     campus of the clinic, and in the community surrounding the 
     clinic, such as signs directing individuals to the clinic.
       (c) Benjamin Charles Steele Department of Veterans Affairs 
     Clinic.--
       (1) Designation.--The clinic of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs located at 1766 Majestic Lane in Billings, Montana, 
     shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known 
     and designated as the ``Benjamin Charles Steele Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic''.
       (2) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     clinic referred to in paragraph (1) shall be considered to be 
     a reference to the Benjamin Charles Steele Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Clinic.
                                 ______