[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 7, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE DORIS MILLER MEDAL OF HONOR ACT OF 2020

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                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 2020

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill 
titled the Doris Miller Medal of Honor Act of 2020. This bill would 
waive the statute of limitations to upgrade Doris Miller's Navy Cross 
to a Medal of Honor--an upgrade that is long overdue and exceedingly 
appropriate.
  On December 7, 1941, we experienced one of the most calamitous 
territorial attacks in our nation's history at Pearl Harbor. On this 
day, the dedication and courage of many of our service members were 
tried and proven true--one of which whose story I would like to tell.
  Doris Miller was born on October 12, 1919, in my hometown of Waco, 
Texas, to parents Henrietta and Conery Miller. He worked on his 
father's farm until 1938, after which he enlisted in the Navy to earn 
money for his family. At the time the Navy did not allow sailors of 
color to enlist in combat roles, leaving Miller relegated to a service-
based role as a mess attendant on the USS West Virginia--where he was 
stationed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
  The USS West Virginia's Action Report acknowledged Miller and his 
shipmates' bravery for having ``carried out every order promptly and 
enthusiastically, even when it meant danger to themselves. They did not 
attempt to abandon the bridge until ordered to do so,'' and was 
described as ``instrumental in hauling people along through oil and 
water to the quarterdeck, thereby unquestionably saving the lives of a 
number of people who might otherwise have been lost.'' For his actions 
aboard the West Virginia, Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, cited for 
``distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard 
for his own personal safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl 
Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941.''
  Miller's actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor reflect 
unquestionably what the Medal of Honor represents; to honor those who 
distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at 
the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty. It is 
also important to note that of the 15 sailors who were awarded the 
Medal of Honor for similar actions during the attack, not a single one 
was African American.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill to award Doris 
Miller the highest honor that our nation can bestow upon a service 
member.

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