[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HIROSHI ``HERSHEY'' MIYAMURA VA CLINIC
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate proceed to
the immediate consideration of S. 475.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 475) to designate the clinic of the Department
of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi
``Hershey'' Miyamura VA Clinic.
There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. CARDIN. I further ask that the bill be considered read a third
time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 475) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed.
S. 475
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF HIROSHI ``HERSHEY'' MIYAMURA
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Hiroshi ``Hershey'' Miyamura was born on October 6,
1925, in Gallup, New Mexico.
(2) A second generation Japanese American, Hershey Miyamura
first served in the United States Army near the end of World
War II.
(3) Hershey Miyamura served in the Army at a time when many
of his fellow Japanese Americans, and that includes his
future wife, were detained in internment camps in the United
States.
(4) Hershey Miyamura served in the storied 442nd Infantry
Regiment, which was composed of soldiers with Japanese
ancestry and became one of the most decorated units in the
history of the United States military.
(5) Following the start of the Korean War in 1950, the Army
recalled Hershey Miyamura, who had remained as a member of
the reserve components of the Army, back into active duty.
(6) During an overnight firefight from April 24 to April
25, 1951, then-Corporal Miyamura covered the withdrawal of
his entire company from advancing enemy forces as a machine
gun squad leader.
(7) The selfless actions by Hershey Miyamura that night
allowed all 16 of his men to withdraw safely before he was
severely wounded and captured as a prisoner of war.
(8) Nearly 2\1/2\ years later, following his release and
return to the United States, President Eisenhower presented
Hershey Miyamura with the Congressional Medal of Honor in a
ceremony at the White House.
(9) The lifelong dedication of Hershey Miyamura to the
United States never ceased. It continued long after his
decorated military service ended.
(10) After he received his honorable discharge from the
Army, Hershey Miyamura opened a service station along Route
66 in his hometown of Gallup, New Mexico.
(11) Hershey Miyamura remained active in his community
until his dying days, advocating for his fellow veterans and
inspiring young people with lectures on patriotism, faith,
and service.
(b) Designation.--The clinic of the Department of Veterans
Affairs located at 2075 South NM Highway 602, Gallup, New
Mexico, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be
known and designated as the ``Hiroshi `Hershey' Miyamura
Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic'' or the ``Hiroshi
`Hershey' Miyamura VA Clinic''.
(c) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
clinic referred to in subsection (b) shall be considered to
be a reference to the ``Hiroshi `Hershey' Miyamura VA
Clinic''.
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