[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4260-H4261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REDESIGNATING CERTAIN CLINICS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                           LOCATED IN MONTANA

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 1282) to redesignate certain clinics of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs located in Montana.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is 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 VA 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 VA 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 VA Clinic.
       (b) Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow VA 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 VA 
     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 VA 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 VA 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 VA 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 VA Clinic.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
add extraneous material on S. 1282.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1282, to designate certain 
clinics

[[Page H4261]]

in the Department of Veterans Affairs located in Montana. This bill is 
sponsored by Senator Daines from Montana, and I am grateful to him for 
introducing this legislation in honor of three American heroes.
  The first is Sergeant David J. Thatcher, who was born in Bridger, 
Montana, and joined the U.S. Army in 1940. Following the surprise 
attack on Pearl Harbor, Sergeant Thatcher volunteered for a secret 
mission, the Doolittle Raid. He was the engineer and tail gunner for 
crew number 7, the Ruptured Duck.
  The crew successfully carried out the mission and attempted to fly to 
China. The aircraft ran out of fuel and was forced to make an emergency 
landing on a beach. The violent landing caused serious injury to all 
crew members besides Sergeant Thatcher. Thankfully, he was able to drag 
his men from the wreckage and lead them to safety after avoiding 
several Japanese patrols.
  For his bravery in saving the lives of his crew, Thatcher was awarded 
the Silver Star. His other decorations included the Distinguished 
Flying Cross; Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters; and the Chinese 
Army, Navy, and Air Corps Medal, Class A, First Grade.
  S. 1282, would further honor him by naming the clinic of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, located at 2687 Palmer Street in 
Missoula, Montana, the David J. Thatcher Department of Veterans Affairs 
Clinic. I can think of no better name after reading that.
  The second American hero who would be honored by this bill is Dr. 
Joseph Medicine Crow, who was born on the Crow Indian Reservation near 
Lodge Grass, Montana. Dr. Medicine Crow went on to get his bachelor's 
degree from Linfield College and master's degree in anthropology from 
the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 1939. He was 
the first member of the Crow Tribe to obtain a master's degree.
  After the war broke out, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow joined the Army and 
became a scout in the 103rd Infantry Division. While at war, he 
completed all four tasks required to become a war chief: touching an 
enemy without killing him, taking an enemy's weapon, leading a 
successful war party, and stealing an enemy's horse. He is the last 
member of the Crow Tribe to become a war chief.
  After serving in the Army, Dr. Medicine Crow returned to the Crow 
Agency and was appointed Tribal historian and anthropologist. He was 
appointed the keeper of memories of his Tribe and published many 
historical books. Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow continued to write and 
lecture at universities and public institutions until his passing at 
the young age of 102.
  I am truly honored to rename the VA clinic located 1775 Spring Creek 
Lane in Billings, Montana, the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow Department of 
Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  The final hero to be recognized by this bill is Ben Steele. Mr. 
Steele was born in Billings, Montana, and graduated from Billings 
Senior High School.
  In 1941, Mr. Steele enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he was 
assigned to the 7th Material Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group. His 
group was assigned to the Philippine Islands, and during the ensuing 
Japanese invasion, Mr. Steele fought to defend his base on Bataan. 
After his capture, Mr. Steele was forced to endure the horrendous 
Bataan Death March and was a Japanese prisoner of war for 3\1/2\ years.
  After the war, Mr. Steele was a true renaissance man, consulting for 
the Department of Defense, serving as the crafts director of the 
Military District of Washington, D.C., chairing the art department of 
Eastern Montana College, and giving workshops, demonstrations, and 
lectures at museums, schools, and civic centers.
  As a survivor of the Bataan Death March, Mr. Steele was devoted to 
his Creator, his family, his country, and his art. In his memory, I am 
privileged to support this bill to rename the clinic of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs at 1766 Majestic Lane in Billings, Montana, the 
Benjamin Charles Steele Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.
  This legislation satisfies all of the committee's naming criteria, is 
cosponsored by the entire Montana congressional delegation, and is 
supported by many VSOs. I am proud to support it as well, and I urge 
all of my colleagues to join me.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in strong support of S. 1282, which names 
three veterans clinics in Montana.
  Again, I will reiterate what I said earlier, that sometimes I hear 
people disparagingly talk about how we are not doing anything in 
Congress except naming VA clinics and post offices. That is right. We 
are naming three VA clinics for three American heroes again. You just 
heard Chairman Roe give the stories of David Thatcher, Ben Steele, and 
Dakaak Baako and what they did for this Nation.
  These are movie scripts in any other world, except this is real life, 
real American heroes who did exactly what was asked of them and then, 
in each one of these cases, returned back home to build this Nation.
  I oftentimes, and I will continue to say it, when you drive by a VA 
clinic and there is a name on it, google it, because you will be amazed 
at what your fellow citizens can do.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, as I close, I can't encourage my 
Members enough to vote for this.
  My history professor in college was a survivor of the Bataan Death 
March. He wrote a book, ``Apocalypse Undone: My Survival of Japanese 
Imprisonment During World War II,'' and told me he had never slept 
through the night until he wrote that book.
  I wonder if these two gentlemen, Mr. Steele and my professor, knew 
each other. I hope they did. They both lived to have successful lives, 
and this truly was and is the Greatest Generation. There is no question 
about what these men did when they returned home.
  So once again, I encourage everyone to support this, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 1282.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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