[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 196 (Thursday, November 20, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H4853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1800
          REQUEST TO NAME U.S. VESSEL AFTER REAR ADMIRAL DUERK

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce bipartisan legislation, 
alongside my northwest Ohio colleague, Representative  Bob Latta.
  Our purpose is to honor a legendary Ohioan and pioneer of American 
military history, Rear Admiral Alene B. Duerk.
  Admiral Duerk was the first woman in the United States Navy to 
achieve the rank of Rear Admiral. Our legislation would require the 
Navy to rename a naval vessel in her honor.
  Admiral Duerk was born in Defiance, Ohio, raised in Holgate, and 
graduated from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1941. Over her 
long career, she treated wounded servicemembers during World War II and 
the Korean war. In 1972, she became the first woman in naval history to 
attain flag rank.
  In August, I also joined Representative Tim Kennedy in sending a 
letter to the Secretary of Defense asking to rename a vessel in her 
honor and in September sponsored a separate amendment to this year's 
National Defense Authorization Act.
  Our added legislation continues our effort to properly honor Rear 
Admiral Duerk. I look forward to working with colleagues, on both sides 
of the aisle, to ensure Rear Admiral Duerk's legacy of service, 
sacrifice, and excellence is properly honored and commemorated by the 
people of the United States of America.
  Go Navy.

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