[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7940-H7942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CAPTAIN ROSEMARY BRYANT MARINER OUTPATIENT CLINIC
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 7698) to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department
of Veterans Affairs in Ventura, California, as the ``Captain Rosemary
Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7698
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 the 1,255 health care facilities
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, two are named after
women.
(2) Rosemary Ann Bryant was born on April 2, 1953, in
Harlingen, Texas, to Captain Cecil Bryant and Constance
Boylan Bryant, a World War II Navy nurse.
(3) Captain Mariner was the first woman to enroll in the
aeronautics program at Purdue University in 1971.
(4) Captain Mariner joined the Navy in 1973, and after
graduating from officer candidate school that year, she
became a member of the Navy's first flight-training class for
women.
(5) In 1974, Captain Mariner was one of six women to earn
her wings and in 1975 she became the first female Naval
aviator to fly a jet attack aircraft.
(6) In July 1990, Captain Mariner was named commander of
Navy ``Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 34'' at Naval Air
Station Point Mugu in Ventura County, California. The unit
was 30 percent female and made Captain Mariner the first
woman to command an operational air squadron, even though
women were still barred from flying combat missions.
(7) Captain Mariner became a passionate advocate for women
in the military, leading the Women Military Aviators and
working with Congress and the Department of Defense to lift
restrictions barring women from flying in combat.
(8) Captain Mariner attended the National War College in
the District of Columbia, earning a master's degree in
national security strategy and served on the staff of the
Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon, and a professor of joint
military studies at the National War College.
(9) Captain Mariner retired from the Navy in 1997, and
moved to Tennessee with her husband Commander Tommy Mariner
and her daughter Emmalee.
(10) During her Naval career Captain Mariner logged 17
landings on aircraft carriers and more than 3500 flight hours
in 15 different aircraft.
(11) In retirement, Captain Mariner continued her service
in her community as a resident scholar in the University of
Tennessee's Center for the Study of War and Society, and
taught military history in UT's history department for 15
years.
(12) Captain Mariner passed away from ovarian cancer on
January 24, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
(13) In honor of Captain Mariner, the United States Navy
conducted its first all-female flyover at the funeral service
for Captain Mariner on Saturday, February 2, 2019, in
Maynardville, Tennessee.
(14) In July 2021, a panel of Ventura County members of the
Armed Forces, veterans, and military spouses recommended that
the Ventura Medical Center be named in honor of Captain
Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF CAPTAIN ROSEMARY BRYANT MARINER
OUTPATIENT CLINIC.
(a) Designation.--The outpatient clinic of the Department
of Veterans Affairs in Ventura, California, shall after the
date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as
the ``Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner
Outpatient 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. Madam 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. 7698.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Captain Rosemary Bryant
Mariner, a member of the Navy's first flight-training class for women,
the first woman to command a naval aviation squadron, and a lifelong
advocate for women's military service.
The bill before us, H.R. 7698, would appropriately name the VA
outpatient clinic in Ventura, California, the ``Captain Rosemary Bryant
Mariner Outpatient Clinic.''
I thank Representative Julia Brownley, chairwoman of the Veterans'
Affairs Committee's Women Veterans Task Force, for championing this
effort.
The VA has more than 1,200 healthcare facilities nationwide, yet as
of the beginning of this Congress, just two of these facilities bore
the names of women veterans. Representative Brownley's bill will begin
to correct this regretful disparity.
More than 2 million women veterans live in the United States today.
They serve across all military branches and divisions, and they are the
fastest growing group of veterans that utilize VA healthcare services.
So it is fitting that we honor a trailblazing woman like Captain
Mariner at one of these VA healthcare facilities.
Captain Mariner had service to this country in her veins. The
daughter of a World War II Navy nurse and Army pilot killed in a plane
crash when she was just 3 years old, Captain Mariner grew up watching
planes take off and land at the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego,
California.
Captain Mariner went on to become the first woman to enroll in the
aeronautics program at Purdue University in 1971, one of six initial
women to earn her wings as a U.S. naval aviator in 1974, and the first
woman aviator to fly a jet attack aircraft in 1975.
In 1990, Captain Mariner became commander of the Navy's tactical
warfare squadron at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Ventura County.
She continued in public service following her 24-year military
career, teaching military history at the University of Tennessee for an
additional 15 years.
At Captain Mariner's funeral service in 2019, following a long battle
against ovarian cancer, the Navy conducted its first flyover featuring
all female pilots. This was, like the naming of the Ventura VA
outpatient clinic will be, a fitting tribute to a life of service to
this Nation.
H.R. 7698 has letters of support from the American Legion, Veterans
of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record these three letters.
The American Legion,
Department of California,
Sanger, CA, April 6, 2022.
Rep. Julia Brownley,
Washington, DC.
Rep. Brownley: The American Legion Department of California
is proud to support the naming of the Ventura County
Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic after
captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
Since its founding in 1919, the American Legion has served
veterans, service members, 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 name this
facility to honor this woman veteran who embodies the true
essence of duty and service to our community, state, and
Nation.
Respectfully,
Autrey B. James Jr.,
Department Commander,
The American Legion,
Department of California.
____
Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Elk Grove, CA, November 1, 2021.
Rep. Julia Brownley,
Washington DC.
Dear Rep. Brownley: On behalf of the sixty-four thousand
members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of
California, I am writing to support naming the Ventura County
Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic after
Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
It is our privilege to help recognize and support the
contributions of women in military service, notably Capt.
Mariner, who we
[[Page H7941]]
believe embodies the requirements necessary to name a federal
building in her honor. The panel convened in the Ventura
County area consisting of members of the Armed Forces,
veterans, and military spouses recommended that the Ventura
Medical Center be named in honor of Captain Rosemary Bryant
Mariner and we agree that her military service and women
veterans' advocacy is notable for this prestigious honor.
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,
Dawn M. Napier,
State Commander.
____
DAV,
Department of California,
Santa Fe Springs, CA, November 3, 2021.
To: The Chairs and Ranking Members of both the House and
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees
Re Support Naming the Ventura VA Clinic after Captain
Rosemary Bryant Mariner
Dear Veterans' Affairs Committees Chairs and Ranking
Members: 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 . . . as a department of
veterans--who advocate daily for the heroes that served this
nation; we sincerely urge you to support the bill created to
rename the Ventura VA Clinic in Ventura, California, after
the late Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
Since the Revolutionary War, millions of women and
minorities have served in the Armed Forces of the United
States. They have served in every role, from infantry soldier
to cyber warfare engineer. Yet, as of January 2021, of the
1,255 VA healthcare facilities, only 13 have been dedicated
to honor the service of minority veterans, and only two
facilities have been named in honor of women veterans.
Rosemary Ann Bryant was born on April 2, 1953, in
Harlingen, Texas, to Captain Cecil Bryant and Constance
Boylan Bryant, a World War II Navy nurse. She was the first
woman to enroll in the aeronautics program at Purdue
University in 1971. She joined the Navy in 1973, and after
graduating from officer candidate school that year, she
became a member of the Navy's first flight-training class for
women. In 1974, she was one of six women to earn her wings,
and in 1975 she became the first female Naval Aviator to fly
a jet attack aircraft.
In July 1990, Captain Mariner was named commander of Navy
Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 34 at Naval Air Station
Point Mugu in Ventura County, California. The unit was 30
percent female and made Captain Mariner the first woman to
command an operational air squadron, even though women were
still barred from flying combat missions. Captain Mariner
became a passionate advocate for women in the military,
leading the Women Military Aviators and working with Congress
and the Defense Department to lift restrictions barring women
from flying in combat.
She attended the National War College in Washington, DC.,
earning a master's degree in national security strategy and
served on the staff of the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon, and
a professor of joint military studies at the National War
College. Captain Mariner retired from the Navy in 1997 and
moved to Tennessee with her husband Commander Tommy Mariner
and her daughter Emmalee. During her Navy career, Captain
Mariner logged 17 landings on aircraft carriers and more than
3500 flight hours in 15 different aircraft. In retirement,
she continued her service in her community as a resident
scholar in the University of Tennessee's Center for the Study
of War and Society and taught military history in UT's
history department for 15 years.
Captain Mariner passed away from Ovarian Cancer on January
24, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee. In honor of Captain
Mariner, the United States Navy conducted its first all-
female flyover at the funeral service for Captain Mariner on
Saturday, February 2, 2019, in Maynardville, Tennessee. In
July 2021, a panel of Ventura County members of the Armed
Forces, veterans, and military spouses recommended that the
Ventura Medical Center be named in honor of Captain Rosemary
Bryant Mariner.
In a recent report, the VA Advisory Committee on Women
Veterans recommended inclusive naming of VA facilities ``to
demonstrate to women veterans that their service matters.''
While VA has concurred with the recommendation, it is the
responsibility of Congress to pass legislation to actually
name these facilities.
The Chairwoman of the Women Veterans Task Force has helped
identify disparities in access to care and benefits, and,
where necessary, introduced, advocated for, and passed
legislation that fixes those gaps. Naming new or undedicated
facilities for women veterans would be a symbolic step to
show our appreciation for the great courage, dedication, and
sacrifice that these veterans have demonstrated in defense of
our Nation.
Please join me in honoring the incredible life of Captain
Rosemary Bryant Mariner by co-sponsoring this bill and
signing onto the letter of support to the Senate Veterans'
Affairs Committee, a requirement to move the bill forward.
Thank you for your support of America's disabled veterans
and their survivors. If you have any concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact our Dept. of CA DAV Legislative Director
Gerald G. ``J.R.'' Wilson, Jr.
Sincerely,
Michael Kerr,
Commander.
Daniel Contreras,
DAV National 2nd Vice Commander, Adjutant/CEO.
Gerald G. Wilson, Jr.,
Legislative Director.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this bill, I
encourage all of my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7698, a bill to rename
the VA outpatient clinic in Ventura, California, the Captain Rosemary
Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic.
Captain Mariner was a trailblazer for women in military aviation. She
was born in Texas and grew up in San Diego, California. Her mother was
a Navy nurse, and her father was a military pilot. She grew up watching
planes take off from Naval Air Station Miramar, which inspired her to
save up for flying lessons.
In 1972, when she was just 19 years old, she became the first woman
to graduate from Purdue University's aeronautical program. She then
joined the Navy and was selected as one of the first eight women to
enter pilot training. In 1974, she became one of the first six women to
earn their naval aviator pilot's wings.
She went on to become one of the first female aviators to fly the A-4
Skyhawk fighter aircraft, the first woman to fly the A-7 Corsair strike
aircraft, the first female aviator to be assigned to an aircraft
carrier, and the first woman to command an aviation squadron in the
Navy.
She commanded a tactical electronic warfare squadron during the first
Gulf war. After that, she was one of the first women in the Navy to be
promoted to captain. She retired in 1997 after 24 years of military
service with over 3,500 flight hours. Her funeral in 2019 was
accompanied by the first all-female pilot flyover.
Captain Mariner's contributions to the U.S. military and the Nation
were truly remarkable. She set a lasting example for women in the Navy,
whose ranks will include, as of Wednesday, my own granddaughter, which
I am very proud of, even though I am still having trouble with the Navy
over the Marines thing.
Madam Speaker, I am so proud to support this bill, I am grateful to
Congresswoman Brownley for sponsoring it, and I reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to say I appreciate the ranking member's mentioning of his
daughter and the connection with today's action. I also extend my
pride, and I feel his pride. We also are thankful for his daughter's
service.
Madam Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Brownley), my good friend and the chairwoman of the Subcommittee
on Health. She is the author of H.R. 7698, a vital piece of
legislation.
Ms. BROWNLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee
and the ranking member for being so supportive of this bill. I also
thank Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, and every member of the
California delegation, for their support.
As the chair and ranking member mentioned, my bill, H.R. 7698, will
name the new VA outpatient clinic in Ventura County after Captain
Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
This new VA clinic has been a long time in the making. Since I was
elected to Congress, I have been working to expand VA services in
Ventura County to ensure that our veterans have access to the timely
and quality care that they have earned and deserve.
When I first came to Congress, it was clear that Ventura County
veterans were being deeply underserved by the undersized and
understaffed local VA clinic, so I immediately set out to work to
correct the situation.
While I was able to secure improvements to the facility that existed,
it
[[Page H7942]]
was clear that the large veteran population in our region needed a much
larger facility and one run by VA personnel, personnel that understood
them and understood their experiences. That was critically important.
Although the road to passing legislation to authorize a new facility
was long, in 2017, my legislation was signed into law. This new clinic
will be better equipped to deliver high-quality healthcare to a growing
community of veterans living in Ventura County and in the area.
Importantly, the new clinic will have VA personnel and will offer
expanded services and more specialty care, like dental care, physical
therapy, rehabilitation services, optometry, audiology, podiatry,
cardiology, and other services.
Getting the new facility open has been my highest priority in
Congress, and I am very, very excited that it will be opening next
Tuesday, September 27.
I am very grateful for the work of all the dedicated VA personnel in
our region, who have been laser focused on getting this new facility
opened and hiring all the necessary staff it needs.
{time} 1830
Already, the reviews from local veterans who have toured the new
facility have been very positive. I am hopeful that as veterans begin
to get care at the facility, it will be truly transformative in their
lives.
As chair of the Women Veterans Task Force, I am also especially
pleased that the new clinic will be one of the first VA clinics in the
country, and the very first in the greater Los Angeles area, with a
women-only entrance.
Since the Revolutionary War, millions of women have served in the
Armed Forces of the United States. However, when they leave the
military, they are often invisible, and far too many women leave
military service with the scars of military sexual trauma. The women-
only entrance will ensure that our women veterans can feel safe and
welcomed and, hopefully, never feel discouraged from seeking the care
they need.
While opening this clinic has been my highest priority, I also
believe that naming the clinic will provide us with yet another
opportunity to recognize the service and sacrifice of our women
veterans.
Women comprise the fastest growing and most diverse demographic in
both the military and veteran populations.
Through my work in Congress, I am constantly reminded that women are
the most visible while serving and the most invisible when they return
to civilian life. This is symbolized, sadly, by the lack of VA
facilities named after women veterans. In fact, of the 1,255 VA
healthcare facilities, only two facilities have been named in honor of
women veterans--only two.
To address this, I convened a local citizens advisory panel comprised
of veterans and community leaders to select a woman veteran for whom we
could name the new clinic, and they selected Captain Rosemary Bryant
Mariner.
Captain Mariner, a former resident of Ventura County, joined the Navy
in 1973, where she became a member of the Navy's first flight training
class for women. In 1974, she was one of six women to earn her wings
and, the following year, became the first female naval aviator to fly a
jet attack aircraft.
Captain Mariner was named commander of the Naval Tactical Electronic
Warfare Squadron 34 at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Ventura County,
California. The unit was 30 percent female and made Captain Mariner the
first woman to command an operational air squadron.
Throughout her career, Captain Mariner was a passionate advocate for
women in the military, leading the Women Military Aviators and working
with Congress and the Department of Defense to lift restrictions
barring women from flying in combat.
I could not be more pleased that the House is taking up my bill to
honor Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner.
This bill and this clinic send a critically important message to our
women veterans, and that is: We see you.
Madam Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote
``yes'' on the bill.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in
passing H.R. 7698, 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. 7698.
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.
____________________