[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 162 (Monday, September 20, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H4537-H4539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN W. MOSLEY VA CLINIC

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4172) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-
based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, as the ``Lieutenant 
Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic.''
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4172

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

     SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY-
                   BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC, AURORA, COLORADO.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) John Mosley was born on June 21, 1921, in Denver, 
     Colorado.
       (2) In 1945, John Mosley married Edna Mosley.
       (3) During World War II, he joined the famed Tuskegee 
     Airmen and trained as a bomber pilot, serving as one of the 
     first African Americans in that role. He earned the flight 
     qualification of Command Pilot during his service in the 
     United States Air Force. The brave service of the Tuskegee 
     Airmen helped pave the way for integration of the armed 
     services. Edna Mosley worked in the defense industry during 
     the war.
       (4) Upon their return to Colorado, Edna Mosley joined John 
     as a tireless community activist and organizer. Among her 
     many achievements, Edna was elected to three terms as 
     Aurora's first African-American City Council Woman. While on 
     the Council, Mrs. Mosley also served on the Board of 
     Directors of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, the 
     entity which provided the vision for the development of the 
     University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
       (5) After a brief break from military service, John Mosley 
     served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was an 
     operations officer in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
       (6) John Mosley retired in 1970 as a lieutenant colonel.
       (7) In 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Mosley and the original 
     Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal from 
     President George W. Bush.
       (8) John and Edna Mosley continued to serve their community 
     long after their retirements, advocating for racial equality, 
     women's rights, veterans' affairs, housing, and education.
       (b) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs 
     community-based outpatient clinic to be located in Aurora, 
     Colorado, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act 
     be known and designated as the ``Lieutenant Colonel John W. 
     Mosley Clinic''.
       (c) References.--Any reference to such clinic in any law, 
     regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the 
     United States shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley Clinic.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous material on H.R. 4172.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the life of John W. Mosley, a Denver 
native who began his legendary service to our Nation in the United 
States Army Air Corps as a World War II Tuskegee Airman, one of our 
Nation's first Black military aviators.
  This bill, H.R. 4172, will name the Department of Veterans Affairs 
new community-based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, as the 
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic. I thank my colleague, 
Representative Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger, for championing this 
effort.
  To say that Lieutenant Colonel Mosley led a remarkable life would be 
an understatement. Growing up in a segregated neighborhood in Denver, 
he became valedictorian of his high school class. In 1939, Lieutenant 
Colonel Mosley became a National Merit Scholar and was one of the first 
Black students to attend Colorado State College of Agriculture and 
Mechanic Arts, which is now Colorado State University. Mosley was the 
school's first Black varsity football player and served as vice 
president of his college class as a junior and as a senior.
  At the start of the Second World War, Mosley dreamed of serving his 
country as a pilot. After being denied the opportunity to join the ROTC 
program in college, Lieutenant Colonel Mosley paid for his own flight 
physical and started taking flying lessons.
  And even after the Army Air Corps established the Tuskegee Airmen 
program in June 1941, Mosley was not initially drafted to join them.
  Mosley was instead sent to an artillery unit at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 
Mosley protested, writing letters to Members of Congress and the 
President until he was finally accepted into the Tuskegee unit.
  Together, the Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 missions over 
North Africa and Europe during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Mosley 
later served as a pilot in the Berlin Airlift, delivering loads of 
supplies to the Soviet-blockaded sectors of the city.
  Upon Lieutenant Colonel Mosley's death in 2015 at the age of 93, his 
son, Eric, told the Denver Post that Lieutenant Colonel Mosley always 
said that ``he had to fight in order to fight. . . . He had to struggle 
to be able to fight for his country.''

[[Page H4538]]

  Having paved the way as a Tuskegee Airman, Lieutenant Colonel Mosley 
later worked with the Truman administration to draft policies that 
would eventually fully integrate the United States Armed Forces.
  Mosley went on to serve our Nation in the United States Air Force 
during the Korean war and Vietnam war, retiring in 1970.
  Mosley then joined the Federal civil service, becoming a special 
assistant to the undersecretary in the U.S. Department of Health, 
Education, and Welfare before finally returning home to Colorado where 
he and his wife, Edna, continued their civil rights advocacy.
  I should also mention that Edna Mosley was a trailblazer in her own 
right, becoming Aurora, Colorado's, first African American city 
councilwoman in 1992.
  H.R. 4172 has letters of support from our Colorado delegation 
colleagues, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the 
Disabled American Veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I include these letters in the Record.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                                   Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jon Tester,
     Chairman, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Mark Takano,
     Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Jerry Moran,
     Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Mike Bost,
     Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Tester, Chairman Takano, Ranking Member 
     Moran, Ranking Member Bost: We write to request your support 
     to name the new Aurora VA community-based outpatient clinic 
     (CBOC) after Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley. He was a Denver 
     native who lived in Aurora, was a Tuskegee Airman, civil 
     rights activist, and the first Black football player at 
     Colorado State University.
       Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley was born the son of a slave. 
     He was the valedictorian of his graduating class at Manual 
     High School and attended a segregated Colorado A&M (now 
     Colorado State University) on an academic scholarship, 
     becoming his class Vice President and the first African 
     American to play on its football team.
       During World War II, he joined the famed Tuskegee Airmen 
     and trained as a bomber pilot, serving as one of the first 
     African Americans in that role. He earned the flight 
     qualification of Command Pilot during his service in the 
     United States Air Force. He piloted bombing missions over 
     Europe and North Africa. The brave service of the Tuskegee 
     Airmen helped pave the way for integration of the armed 
     services.
       Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley went on to fight in the 
     Korean and Vietnam Wars. He became special assistant to the 
     undersecretary in the Department of Health, Education, and 
     Welfare in Washington, D.C. before returning to Colorado. 
     After his retirement, Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley and his 
     wife Edna continued to serve Colorado--Edna as Aurora City 
     Council Woman--advocating for racial equality, women's 
     rights, veterans' affairs, housing, and education.
       We would be grateful for your support in this effort and 
     hope the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs will 
     give it their consideration.
           Sincerely,
         Jason Crow, Ken Buck, Joe Neguse, Doug Lamborn, Ed 
           Perlmutter, Diana DeGette, Lauren Boebert, Members of 
           Congress. John Hickenlooper, Michael F. Bennet, U.S. 
           Senators.
                                  ____


                                                  Chip Kossow,

                                      Falcon, CO, August 10, 2021.
     Chairman Mark Takano,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Mike Bost,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost: Please accept 
     this letter as a demonstration of the total support of the 
     American Legion Department of Colorado, in recognition of 
     naming the new Veterans Administration Clinic in Aurora, 
     Colorado as ``John W. Mosley Veterans Clinic''.
       The Denver native was the first-ever black player on what 
     is now the Colorado State University football team, and he 
     was one of the first black men trained as a bomber pilot 
     during the Second World War, serving with the famed Tuskegee 
     Airmen before trading in his military service for a life of 
     community leadership in Aurora.
       The Tuskegee Airmen flew 15,000 missions over North Africa 
     and Europe during the Second World War. John also would serve 
     as a pilot in the Berlin Airlift after the war, delivering 
     loads of supplies to the Soviet-blockaded sectors of the 
     city.
       The American Legion Department of Colorado would like to 
     honor his amazing legacy of service to God, Country, his 
     fellow veterans, and his community of Aurora, CO with our 
     full support and we wholeheartedly support and encourage the 
     committee to sponsor and support legislation naming the new 
     Aurora Veterans Clinic after this distinguished WWII Veteran.
       On behalf of the 21,000 members of The American Legion in 
     Colorado I am proud to fully endorse this effort.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Chip Kossow,
     Department Commander.
                                  ____

                                       Disabled American Veterans,


                                       Department of Colorado,

                                               Lakewood, Colorado.
     Hon. Mark Takano,
     Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Mike Bost,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost: Please accept 
     this letter as demonstrating the total support of the 
     Department of Colorado Disabled American Veterans, in 
     recognition of the ongoing initiative to name the new Aurora 
     VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic to the Lieutenant 
     Colonel John W. Mosley Community Based Outpatient Clinic, in 
     memory of United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel 
     ``retired'' John W. Mosley.
       Lieutenant Colonel Mosley served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 
     and then subsequently the U.S. Air Force from WWII, then 
     Korea, and Vietnam. He was also a Tuskegee Airman in WWII. 
     After WWII, he was called upon to work with the Truman 
     Administration to draft the policies that would fully 
     integrate the U.S. armed forces. In addition, Colonel Mosley 
     also served in a variety of federal positions.
       Colonel Mosley was also a strong civil rights activist, 
     fighting for the right to attend CSU, becoming the first 
     black American to play football and wrestled at CSU, and 
     elected as his class Vice President in both his junior and 
     senior college years.
       Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley embodied the Air Force 
     value of loyalty, duty, respect, and selfless service to his 
     fellow veterans and his country.
       The Department of Colorado Disabled American Veterans would 
     like to honor his outstanding legacy with our full support, 
     endorsement, and we most strongly encourage this committee to 
     support legislation renaming the Aurora VA Community-Based 
     Outpatient Clinic after Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley.
           Sincerely,
                                                     John Carmona,
             Commander, Department of Colorado, Disabled American 
     Veterans.
                                  ____

                                         Veterans of Foreign Wars,


                                       Department of Colorado,

                                                     Lakewood, CO.
     Hon. Mark Takano,
     Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Mike Bost,
     House Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Boast: Please 
     accept this letter as a demonstration of total support of the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Colorado, in 
     recognition of changing the name of the Veterans 
     Administration Clinic in Aurora, Colorado currently called 
     the Aurora Gateway CBOC Replacement (VHA19-554-2016-29466) to 
     ``Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic''.
       Renaming the Aurora Gateway Veterans Affairs Medical Clinic 
     Replacement facility in respect to John W. Mosley is the 
     ideal honor to bestow upon a legendary U.S. Air Force 
     Tuskegee Airman who piloted bombing missions over Europe, 
     North Africa, Korea, and Vietnam. Lt. Col. Mosley's life of 
     service extended from his student days at Colorado State 
     University in the late 1930s where he broke color barriers 
     when he was elected class vice president in both of his 
     junior and senior years to after World War II where he worked 
     with the Truman administration to draft the policies that 
     would fully integrate the United States Armed Forces and 
     further in the Denver metro area late into his life.
       Veterans of Foreign Wars, Colorado proudly supports 
     legislation to rename the new Veterans Affairs replacement 
     medical clinic in Aurora, CO as the John W. Mosley Aurora 
     Gateway CBOC. Lt. Col. Mosley distinguished himself 
     throughout his life with service to our country and community 
     service efforts that improved the lives of all those who call 
     Denver and Aurora home.
       Lt. Col. Mosley was the embodiment of the U.S. Air Force 
     Tuskegee Airmen values, loyalty, duty, respect, and selfless 
     service to his fellow veterans and his country. The Veterans 
     of Foreign Wars Colorado would like to honor his amazing 
     legacy with our full support and encourage the committee to 
     support legislation renaming the Aurora Gateway CBOC 
     Replacement (VHA19-554-2016-29466) after this distinguished 
     member of our State.
                                                    Barbara Green,
     State Commander, Department of Colorado, Veterans of Foreign 
                                                  Wars of the U.S.

  Mr. TAKANO. Once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4172 to 
name the new VA community-based clinic in Aurora, Colorado, after 
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley, and by doing so, we will help ensure 
that his legacy

[[Page H4539]]

lives on and continues to inspire future generations to break barriers 
and fight for justice and equality.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4172, a bill to name the 
VA community-based outpatient clinic, CBOC, in Aurora, Colorado, after 
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley.
  Lieutenant Colonel Mosley was one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. 
Mosley served honorably in World War II, as well as the Korean war and 
the Vietnam war.
  Mosley went on to a career in government, serving in D.C. before 
returning to Colorado as a long-time community leader and advocate.
  Congressman Jason Crow from Colorado has introduced this bill to name 
the VA CBOC in Aurora, Colorado, after Lieutenant Colonel Mosley, and I 
am in full support and hope that my colleagues will join me.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Crow), the author of this legislation and also a 
subcommittee chairman of the Small Business Committee and a member of 
the House Armed Services Committee.
  Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his 
leadership and support, as well as the members of the committee and the 
committee staff for making sure that this bill received full and quick 
consideration.
  I do rise today in support of H.R. 4172 to name the new Department of 
Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, 
for Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley.
  Lieutenant Colonel Mosley embodies the finest our country has to 
offer. Mosley was an inspirational leader in the Aurora community and 
in the Air Force.
  Mosley was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1921 and broke barriers at a 
time where Black men and women were prevented from achieving the full 
rights of their citizenship and full participation in the military.
  Colonel Mosley attended what is now Colorado State University and 
became the first ever Black player on the football team.
  After college, Colonel Mosley wanted to become a pilot, so he paid to 
get his own pilot's license. When the Air Force didn't assign him to be 
a pilot, he lobbied his own command in D.C. to assign him to a pilot 
role. He was eventually assigned to the segregated Tuskegee Airmen 
unit.
  During World War II, he trained as a bomber pilot, serving as one of 
the first African Americans in that role. He earned the flight 
qualification of Command Pilot during his service in the U.S. Air 
Force. The brave service of the Tuskegee Airmen and Colonel Mosley 
helped pave the way for integration of the armed services.
  Upon his return, he married Edna, and together John and Edna Mosley 
became tireless community activists and organizers. Among her many 
achievements, Edna was elected to three terms as Aurora's first African 
American city councilwoman.
  After a brief break from military service, Colonel Mosley served 
during the Korean and the Vietnam wars. Three conflicts. Mosley was an 
operations officer in Thailand during the Vietnam war.
  So naming the new Aurora clinic after Colonel Mosley honors his 
legacy and will inspire future generations to break barriers. I can't 
think of a better name for my fellow veterans to be walking in to this 
new clinic in Aurora, Colorado, than to see the name of Colonel John 
Mosley as they walk in and to remember his service, his sacrifice, his 
leadership, and the best of what we can be as a country.
  I thank the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for their work to 
advance this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this effort to honor Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am 
prepared to close, but before I do I will just let the gentleman from 
Colorado know that I am honored to represent the University of 
California Riverside, which is the repository of the Tuskegee Airmen 
Collection, which is formerly known as the Tuskegee Airmen Archives.
  We are proud to have the papers of many of the 992 pilots who 
graduated from the Tuskegee Air Field courses who advanced race 
relations in our country. I am certainly hopeful that we will have the 
availability of the papers from Colonel Mosley that might, if it is not 
already in our archives, to be added.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 4172 to name the VA clinic in Aurora, Colorado, as the 
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA clinic, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  1700

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4172.
  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.

                          ____________________