[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 198 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6253-H6255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JENNIFER MORENO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER AND
DESIGNATION HONORING KATHLEEN MAE BRUYERE
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3665) to designate the medical center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in San Diego, California, as the Jennifer Moreno
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and to support the
designation of a component of such medical center in honor of Kathleen
Bruyere.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3665
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) As of January 2021, of 1,255 health care facilities of
the Department of Veterans of Affairs, two are named for
women veterans.
(2) From 2002 through 2006, Jennifer Madai Moreno was an
active member of the San Diego High School Junior Reserve
Officer Training Corps (JROTC), which is a Department of the
Army Honor Unit with Distinction, the highest rating by the
Army. She was also chosen to be a member of the San Diego
Unified School District Brigade Staff. As a high school
senior, she rose quickly to become the top junior marksman in
California through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
(3) Moreno accepted a JROTC scholarship to the University
of San Francisco (USF) for Nursing, becoming the first person
in her family to go to college. While at USF, she was chosen
for Leadership Development Training. She ultimately achieved
the highest level of physical fitness in her ROTC unit.
(4) Following her graduation from USF with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Nursing in 2010, Moreno received her
commission in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant
Nurse Corps Officer.
(5) Upon commissioning, Moreno served as a Gold Bar
Recruiter from July 2010 to September 2010.
(6) Moreno was chosen to attend and completed the Basic
Airborne Course in Fort Benning, Georgia and Army Medical
Department Officer Basic Course at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.
(7) Moreno was then assigned to Madigan Army Medical
Center, Joint Base Lewis McCord, Washington in January 2011,
where she served as a Clinical Staff Nurse on medical-
surgical unit. Moreno earned her certification as a Medical
Surgical Registered Nurse in February 2011.
(8) Moreno volunteered for a position with U.S. Army
Special Operations Command in 2011. She was selected into the
SOC Cultural Support Team program. She was deployed to
Afghanistan in June 2013 with the Army's 75th Ranger
Regiment.
(9) On October 6, 2013, Moreno was attached to a U.S. Army
Ranger unit on a night mission in the Zhari district in
Kandahar province to capture a high-value target when four
explosive devices were triggered.
(10) During the last moments of Moreno's life, she
reportedly heard a call to help a wounded soldier struck by a
blast. Moreno did not hesitate to respond to the call for
help. As she made her way to help a fallen soldier, she
triggered the fifth explosion, which ended her life.
(11) Moreno was the first Nurse CST member to die in
action. Part of her legacy is the number of young women
coming from medical fields seeking out voluntary assignments
to join the CST program.
(12) Moreno was the first combat casualty to be buried at
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego since the post-
9/11 conflicts began. She received full military honors.
(13) After graduating from college in 1966, Kathleen Mae
Bruyere was accepted into U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School,
after which she was assigned as an on-campus Navy recruiting
officer in California.
(14) Bruyere was named to the staff of Rear Admiral Allen
Hill in 1975, becoming the first woman to serve as flag
secretary to an admiral.
(15) In January 1976, Bruyere was chosen as one of 12 Women
of the Year on the cover of Time Magazine.
(16) In 1977, Bruyere joined five other women officers who
sued the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United
States Secretary of Defense over restrictions that prevented
women from serving on combat aircraft and ships. This led to
the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act being struck
down as unconstitutional, overturning a ban on women serving
at sea.
(17) In 1987, as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval
Operations for women's policy, Bruyere helped conduct an
examination of the status of Navy women, including career
opportunities and complaints of sexism. The study led to
9,000 sea-duty and command jobs opening up for women on 24
combatant ships.
(18) In 1991, Bruyere was assigned as Commanding Officer
for the Navy Recruit Training Command at Orlando, Florida. At
the time, it was the Navy's only boot camp that included
women. Bruyere oversaw the training of 30,000 enlistees, one
third of them women.
(19) In 1994, Bruyere retired from the Navy as a Captain
after 28 years of service.
(20) From 2012 until shortly before her death in September
2020, Bruyere was an active volunteer at Miramar National
Cemetery, devoting almost 4,300 hours to helping visitors
locate their loved ones' graves and providing information
about veterans' burial benefits.
(21) Bruyere was buried at Miramar National Cemetery with
full military honors.
(22) In May 2021, a panel of San Diego-area members of the
Armed Forces, veterans, and military spouses recommended that
the San Diego VA Medical Center be renamed in honor of
Jennifer Moreno and an internal space be renamed in honor of
Kathleen Bruyere.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF JENNIFER MORENO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER.
(a) Designation.--The medical center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in San Diego, California, shall after the
date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as
the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Center.
(b) Reference.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
medical center referred to in subsection (a) shall be
considered to be a reference to the Jennifer Moreno
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DESIGNATION OF MEDICAL CENTER
PHYSICAL COMPONENT AFTER KATHLEEN MAE BRUYERE.
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs should designate a prominent physical space within
the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, as designated pursuant to section 2, in honor of
Kathleen Mae Bruyere.
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
include extraneous material on H.R. 3665.
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 recognize the lives of Army Captain Jennifer
Moreno and Navy Captain Kathleen Bruyere. I thank my colleague, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), for introducing this legislation
to pay tribute to these two distinguished servicemembers who went above
and beyond in their service to this Nation.
When Jennifer Moreno graduated from the University of San Francisco
with a nursing degree, she joined the Army. She completed airborne
training and served with Special Operations Command. As a cultural
support team member, Captain Moreno was tasked with outreach to the
Afghan women they encountered.
[[Page H6254]]
On October 5, 2013, Captain Moreno and a dozen other special
operators were struck by 12 bombs in a night raid to disrupt a plot to
kill civilians. While attempting to save an injured soldier, she was
killed.
For her heroic acts and unwavering support of her comrades, Captain
Moreno was awarded a Combat Action Badge, the Purple Heart, and the
Bronze Star.
Captain Bruyere was a true changemaker. The daughter of an Army
servicemember, Captain Bruyere joined the Navy following her graduation
from Chestnut Hill College.
She climbed her way through the Navy's ranks, becoming the Navy's
first female flag secretary. As an advocate for women servicemembers,
Captain Bruyere was featured as one of Time magazine's Women of the
Year in 1976.
Despite her high ranking, Captain Bruyere was limited in her ability
to be promoted due to the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of
1948. In a potential career-ending move, Bruyere and five
servicemembers sued the Department of Defense in 1977. The rules were
deemed unconstitutional, paving the way for thousands of women to serve
in leadership positions at sea. She retired at the rank of captain in
1994 and passed away on September 3, 2020.
Both Captain Moreno and Captain Bruyere exemplify the highest
qualities of service and are true American patriots. I was honored to
remember them both on Veterans Day.
H.R. 3665 has letters of support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
the Disabled American Veterans, and the American Legion, and I include
them in the Record.
Veterans of Foreign Wars,
June 22, 2021.
Rep. Mike Levin,
Washington DC.
Dear Rep. Levin: On behalf of the sixty-four thousand
members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of
California, I am writing to endorse your bill, H.R. 3665 to
rename the San Diego Medical Center after U.S. Army CPT
Jennifer M. Moreno as the ``Jennifer Moreno Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' and support the designation
of a component within the facility in honor of U.S. Navy CAPT
Kathleen M. Bruyere.
It is our privilege to help recognize and support the
contributions of women in military service, notably CPT
Moreno, who we believe embodies the requirements necessary to
rename a federal building in her honor. The panel convened in
the San Diego consisting of area service members, veterans
and community leaders, made the recommendation after review
of CPT Moreno's distinguished service to her country, and who
was ultimately killed in action during a deployment to
Afghanistan in October 2013.
In addition, we endorse naming a prominent space within
the facility after CAPT Bruyere, a longtime San Diego
resident who helped shape the military's policies on sexual
discrimination and expanding opportunities for women in the
Navy.
The VFW is committed to improve VA medical centers
services for women veterans through legislative advocacy and
fully support your work on behalf of our nation's veterans.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
John G. Lowe,
State Commander.
____
Department of California,
July 7, 2021.
Re: H.R. 3665 to rename the San Diego Medical Center
Hon. Rep. Mike Levin,
Member of Congress,
Washington, DC.
Dear Rep. Mike Levin: As Commander of the Department of
California Disabled American Veterans representing over
70,000 DAV Life Members in the State of California and in
recognition of our fallen veterans and their survivors. I am
writing to endorse your bill H.R. 3665 to rename the San
Diego Medical Center after U.S. Army Capt. Jennifer M. Moreno
as the ``Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Center'' and support the designation of a component
within the facility in honor of U.S. Navy Capt. Kathleen M.
Bruyere.
It is our honor and priveledge to recognize and support the
contributions of women in armed service, notably Cpt. Moreno,
who's service went above and beyond the requirements
necessary to rename a federal building in her honor. DAV will
never forget Capt. Moreno's service this country and ultimate
sacrifice. The panel convened in the San Diego consisting of
area service members, veterans, and community leaders, made
the recommendation after review of Capt. Moreno's
distinguished service to her country, and who was ultimately
killed in action during a deployment to Afghanistan in
October 2013.
In addition, we endorse naming a prominent space within the
facility after Capt. Bruyere, a longtime San Diego resident
who helped shape the military's policies on sexual
discrimination and expanding opportunities for women in the
U.S. Navy.
Thank you for your support of America's disabled veterans
and their survivors.
Sincerely,
Michael Kerr,
Commander.
Daniel Contreras,
DAV National 3rd Vice Commander, Adjutant/CEO.
Gerald G. Wilson, Jr.,
Legislative Director.
____
The American Legion,
Department of California,
Sanger, CA, July 21, 2021.
Hon. Mike Levin,
Washington, DC.
Mr. Levin: The American Legion Department of California is
proud to support H.R. 3665, which includes the renaming the
San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center after Army Capt.
Jennifer Moreno and renaming a component therein after Navy
Capt. Kathleen M. Bruyere.
Since its founding in 1919, the American Legion has served
veterans, servicemembers, and communities throughout our
nation. Our commitment to serving all veterans has been one
of the main pillars outlining our purpose. As the United
State Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to make
strides in the way it supports and cares for women veterans,
I believe by renaming VA facilities after brave female
veterans it is a great step towards recognizing the
contribution of this nation's woman warriors.
On behalf of the 80,000+ American Legion members in
California we urge congress to take action to rename this
facility to honor these two women veterans who embody the
true essence of duty and service to our community, state, and
nation.
Respectfully,
Autrey B. James, Jr.,
Department Commander.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I enthusiastically support the naming of the
San Diego, California, VA Medical Center in honor of Captain Moreno and
Captain Bruyere, and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1715
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3665, a bill to name the
VA medical center in San Diego, California, the Jennifer Moreno VA
Medical Center, and to support naming a component of such medical
center in honor of Kathleen Bruyere.
Jennifer Moreno, a native of San Diego, California, received her
initial commission in the United States Army as a Nurse Corps officer.
Jennifer was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base
Lewis-McChord in Washington. Jennifer served there as a clinical staff
nurse in the medical-surgical unit and earned her certification as a
medical-surgical registered nurse.
Following that assignment, Jennifer volunteered for and was selected
into the Special Operations Command Cultural Support Team program.
Captain Moreno deployed to Afghanistan in June 2013 with the Army's
75th Ranger Regiment.
On October 6, 2013, Captain Moreno was attached to a U.S. Army Ranger
unit on a night mission in the Zhari district in Kandahar province to
capture a high-value target when four explosive devices were triggered.
Captain Moreno heard a call for help and did not hesitate to respond.
As she made her way to help her fellow soldier, Captain Moreno
triggered a fifth explosive and sadly became the first nurse Combat
Support Team member to die in action.
Heroism obviously knows no gender.
It is only fitting that the San Diego VA Medical Center be renamed in
Jennifer's honor.
This bill also honors Navy Captain Kathleen Mae Bruyere by naming a
space within the San Diego VA Medical Center after her.
Captain Bruyere was a trailblazer who dedicated her career to
advancing opportunities for servicewomen who played an instrumental
role in revising restrictions that prevented women from serving on
combat aircraft and ships.
Notably, Captain Bruyere helped conduct a study that led to 9,000
sea-duty and command jobs opening for women on 24 combatant ships.
And as is true for so many servicemembers, Kathleen's service did not
end upon retirement from the military.
Until shortly before her death, Captain Bruyere was an active
volunteer
[[Page H6255]]
at Miramar National Cemetery. While there, Captain Bruyere devoted
almost 4,300 hours to help visitors locate their loved ones' graves and
provided information about veterans' burial benefits.
By naming a dedicated space in the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center
after Captain Bruyere today, we will further ensure that her influence
and services are forever remembered.
Currently, of the 1,255 VA healthcare facilities, only two are named
for women veterans. It is time to recognize the many contributions and
the heroism of women who have served, especially those who made the
ultimate sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), my good friend who is back from
a very warm welcome at the White House, the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and also the author of the bill.
Mr. LEVIN of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding and for his support.
For far too long, our country has failed to give women servicemembers
and veterans the recognition they have rightfully earned and deserve
for their service and commitment to protecting this Nation.
For my friends and colleagues who may not know, women have served in
the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War. And long before women
could formally serve, hundreds of women disguised themselves as men for
the opportunity to serve in the Armed Forces.
Hundreds of thousands of women answered the call to serve in World
War I and World War II in any way they could. Following these
invaluable contributions, women finally became permanent members of the
Armed Forces in 1948.
Now there are 2 million women veterans living in the United States,
and women comprise the fastest growing subpopulation of both the
military and veteran populations.
Women servicemembers now make up 20 percent of military personnel.
Because of this, the women veteran population is projected to grow to
18 percent of the total veteran population by 2040.
Yet, they still fail to receive the recognition they deserve for
their service to our Nation.
While millions of women have served in the U.S. military, only two of
VA's 1,293 healthcare facilities have been named after these brave and
courageous Americans.
That is simply unacceptable.
So, in November 2020, I convened a panel of highly qualified
servicemembers, veterans, and community leaders to collaborate on
recommendations to rename the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical
Center.
The panel included a wide variety of local stakeholders from
organizations like The American Legion, Military Order of the Purple
Heart, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
After an extensive effort considering many incredible women veterans
who have served our country with distinction, the panel chose Captain
Jennifer M. Moreno, a highly decorated combat veteran from San Diego
who was killed in action during a deployment to Afghanistan in October
2013.
Jennifer Moreno was born in San Diego and was raised in Logan Heights
by her single mom after the early loss of her father.
While attending San Diego High School, Moreno was an active member of
the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps for all 4 years, which is a
Department of the Army Honor Unit with Distinction, the highest rating
by the Army.
Following her graduation from the University of San Francisco with a
bachelor of science degree in nursing in 2010, Moreno received her
commission in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant Nurse Corps officer.
Moreno was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2013 with the Army's 75th
Ranger Regiment, where she was attached to a joint special operations
task force as a Cultural Support Team member.
Just 3 months into her first tour, while on a night mission in
Kandahar province to capture a high-value target, four explosive
devices were triggered. Moreno endured these explosive devices,
including a suicide explosive at a range of no more than 25 meters.
Moreno then reportedly heard two orders. One was a call to help a
wounded soldier struck by a blast. The other was a command to stay put
in case she was to strike another mine in the area. Moreno did not
hesitate to respond to the call for help.
As Moreno made her way to help a fallen soldier, she triggered the
fifth explosion, which tragically ended her life on October 6, 2013.
Moreno was the first nurse Cultural Support Team member to die in
action, and part of her legacy is the number of young women coming from
medical fields seeking out voluntary assignments to join the Cultural
Support Team.
Jennifer Moreno was promoted posthumously to captain and was the
first combat casualty to be buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
in San Diego since the post-9/11 conflicts began, receiving full
military honors. I was honored to visit her gravesite earlier this
year.
The panel also recommended that a prominent space within the San
Diego VA Medical Center be named after U.S. Navy Captain Kathleen M.
Bruyere, a longtime San Diego resident who helped shape the military's
policies on sexual discrimination and was instrumental in expanding
opportunities for women in the Navy.
In 1977, Bruyere joined five other women officers who sued the United
States Secretary of the Navy and the United States Secretary of Defense
over restrictions that prevented women from serving on combat aircraft
and ships. This led to the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act
being struck down as unconstitutional, overturning a ban on women
serving at sea.
In 1987, as special assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations for
women's policy, Bruyere conducted an examination of the status of Navy
women, including career opportunities and complaints of sexism. The
study led to 9,000 sea-duty and command jobs opening up for women on 24
combatant ships.
Bruyere retired from the Navy as a captain after 28 years of service
in 1994. Last year, she passed away and was buried at Miramar National
Cemetery with full military honors.
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that VA should follow
through with the panel's recommendation to honor Captain Bruyere.
Although this effort does not make up for all the appreciation women
veterans and servicemembers are still owed, it is my great hope that
this token of gratitude inspires similar recognition across the
country.
I thank Army veteran and Carlsbad resident Karin Brennan, who led
this effort and exercised strong leadership in bringing stakeholders
together to make recommendations for women veterans with ties to the
region who are among the worthiest of receiving this honor.
But most of all, I am grateful for the service of Captain Jennifer
Moreno and Captain Kathleen Bruyere.
It is my honor to share their stories on behalf of the local veterans
who recommended this renaming, and I look forward to this legislation
passing the House and becoming law.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support
this legislation and for all that it stands for.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Bost) for facilitating this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R.
3665, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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. 3665.
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.
____________________