[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 97 (Friday, June 6, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H2518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          STOP RENAMING SHIPS

  (Ms. BALINT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, Defense Secretary Hegseth should be one of 
the busiest people on the planet, defending our country and leading 
nearly 3 million courageous Americans in our Armed Forces. It is an 
awesome responsibility.
  This week, Pete Hegseth spent his precious time deciding that a naval 
ship named after a veteran is just too gay for him.
  Harvey Milk was an American hero, a civil rights leader, and the 
first openly gay official in California. He served his country in the 
Navy. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was someone 
who stood up for the rights and dignity of all, and he was assassinated 
while serving in public office. His memory is worthy of dignity and 
respect.
  Removing his name from a ship is small and it is petty. It is 
obviously an attempt to erase the history of anyone who shows 
resistance to this administration. That is what autocrats and 
authoritarians do.
  Since Secretary Hegseth took the helm, the Department of Defense has 
been fraught with national security risks and constant drama. I urge 
him to stop spending his time renaming ships because he wants to 
pretend that we don't exist. He should do his damn job.

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