[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 115-47
115th Congress

An Act


 
To designate the community living center of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as the
``Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living
Center''. <>

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) Sergeant Joseph George Kusick of Bruin, Pennsylvania,
was assigned to the command and control detachment of the 5th
Special Forces Group (Airborne) of the Army during the Vietnam
War.
(2) On November 8, 1967, Kusick distinguished himself by
exceptionally valorous actions while serving as a radio operator
of a special forces reconnaissance team on a combat mission deep
in hostile territory.
(3) During an enemy ambush, Kusick, though seriously
wounded, refused aid and radioed the forward air controller to
advise him of the critical situation.
(4) While the team leader led a withdrawal to a landing
zone, Kusick maintained contact with the controller and
requested emergency extraction.
(5) Realizing the importance of having a radio operator on
the ground to direct landings, Kusick refused evacuation by the
first helicopter.
(6) After the second helicopter was shot down, and in the
midst of enemy fire, Kusick continued to maintain radio contact
and called for a hoist extraction of the men still remaining on
the ground.
(7) The last helicopter, which Kusick boarded, was shot down
by intense Viet Cong fire and crashed in flames, resulting in
Kusick's death.
(8) On December 22, 1967, Kusick was posthumously awarded
the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action.
(9) The citation to accompany the award of the Silver Star
Medal stated that ``Kusick's gallantry in action, at the cost of
his life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the
military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his
unit, and the United States Army''.
SEC. 2. SERGEANT JOSEPH GEORGE KUSICK VA COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER.

(a) Designation.--The community living center of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County,

[[Page 972]]

Pennsylvania, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known
and designated as the ``Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community
Living Center''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the community
living center referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a
reference to the ``Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living
Center''.

Approved August 16, 2017.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2210:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):
July 17, considered and passed House.
Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.