H.R. 4955House118th Congress (2023-2025)Enacted

To name the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the "Henry Parham VA Clinic".

Introduced July 27, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 10:42 AM UTC

The bill renames the Department of Veterans Affairs community‑based outpatient clinic in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, to honor Henry Parham, a World War II veteran who was the last surviving African‑American combat veteran of the D‑Day landings. The new name, “Henry Parham VA Clinic,” will be used in all federal references to the facility. This change affects the clinic’s designation in laws, regulations, maps, and other official documents.

Key Provisions

  • Designates the VA outpatient clinic in Monroeville, PA as the “Henry Parham VA Clinic” and requires all federal references to use that name.

Legislative Activity

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15 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 118-215.

January 2, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 27, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

July 27, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

August 24, 2023

HouseFloor

Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

December 16, 2024 • 5:00 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7175-7177)

December 16, 2024 • 5:00 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4955.

December 16, 2024 • 5:00 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7175-7176)

December 16, 2024 • 5:11 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7175-7176)

December 16, 2024 • 5:11 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

December 16, 2024 • 5:11 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

December 17, 2024

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

December 21, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7316)

December 21, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 23, 2024

President

Presented to President.

December 27, 2024

Became Law

Signed by President.

January 2, 2025

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 118-215.

January 2, 2025

Floor Debate

5 members

What members said about H.R. 4955 on the floor

2 Republicans3 Democrats
Patrick T. McHenry
Rep. Patrick T. McHenryR-NC-10 · Dec 24, 2024

Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk of the House, reported and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McHenry, on Friday,…

Mark Takano
Rep. Mark TakanoD-CA-39 · Dec 16, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4955. This bill will designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient…

Summer L. Lee
Rep. Summer L. LeeD-PA-12 · Dec 16, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill to designate the new Department of Veterans Affairs community- based outpatient clinic in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham VA Clinic.…

Mike Bost
Rep. Mike BostR-IL-12 · Dec 16, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4955) to name the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the ``Henry…

Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Dec 20, 2024

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: H.R. 4955, H.R.…

Bill Text

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Eighteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-four

H. R. 4955

AN ACT

To name the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham VA Clinic.

1.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Henry Parham was born in Emporia, Virginia, in November 1921.

(2)

At age 21, Henry Parham was drafted into the Army and shipped out to England in 1943 with the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion in preparation for the D-Day invasions.

(3)

The 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, a segregated Army unit, consisted of approximately 700 African-American soldiers with the mission of hoisting barrage balloons designed to entangle incoming German planes and prevent them from conducting strafing runs on ground troops.

(4)

On June 6, 1944, Private First Class Henry Parham and his section of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion landed at Omaha Beach. With the threat of enemy sniper and rifle fire ever present, PFC Parham’s unit performed their duties, hoisting their barrage balloons 2,000 feet into the air over the beachhead in Normandy.

(5)

For two months, Private First Class Henry Parham and the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion stood watch at Omaha Beach, keeping the pipeline of incoming supplies and Allied troops secure before returning to the United States in September 1944.

(6)

After his service, Henry Parham moved to Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, where he lived and worked as a heavy equipment operator until 1986. There, he met and married his wife, Ethel Parham, to whom he was married for more than 45 years.

(7)

Henry Parham died on July 4, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 99. He was survived by his wife, Ethel, both of whom served for decades as volunteers at the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and local chapters of veterans service organizations.

(8)

Henry Parham was the last surviving African-American combat veteran who took part in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.

2.

Designation of Henry Parham Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic

(a)

Designation

The community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the Henry Parham Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic or the Henry Parham VA Clinic.

(b)

Reference

Any reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the community-based outpatient clinic referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a reference to the Henry Parham VA Clinic.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.