[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 91 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 91
To name the Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston, Texas, as the
``Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 7, 2003
Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To name the Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston, Texas, as the
``Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 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 as follows:
(1) Dr. Michael E. DeBakey played a critical role in
establishing and developing the Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He has successfully elevated
its professional staff and quality healthcare to meet high
standards of excellence and encouraged minorities to fulfill
their potential in education, and particularly in the health
professions.
(2) Dr. DeBakey's dedication to the Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Center is ongoing. He is still chairman of the
Dean's Committee of that medical center, as he has been since
the beginning of that institution.
(3) Dr. DeBakey brought both the City of Houston and the
State of Texas international recognition for the Texas Medical
Center through his pioneering of medical research, his
leadership at Baylor College of Medicine, his national and
international medical statesmanship, and his championing of the
rights and the welfare of the underprivileged.
(4) Dr. DeBakey is credited with the development of the
Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) concepts for the
military, which led to saving thousands of lives during the
Korean and Vietnam conflicts, as well as the development of
specialized medical and surgical center systems in order to
treat returning military personnel.
(5) During World War II, Dr. DeBakey served as a colonel in
the United States Army and was assigned to the Surgical
Consultant Division in the office of the Surgeon General. His
active duty service was from 1942 to 1946. He remained on
active duty in 1946 and recruited 100 additional specialists to
care for World War II wounded military personnel in Army
specialty centers.
(6) For his service in the Armed Forces, Dr. DeBakey
received the Legion of Merit.
SEC. 2. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, HOUSTON,
TEXAS.
(a) Name.--The Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in
Houston, Texas, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be
known and designated as the ``Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Center''.
(b) References.--Any reference in any law, regulation, map,
document, record, or other paper of the United States to the medical
center referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a
reference to the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Center.
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