A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lynchburg, Virginia, as the "Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic".

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 3938, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Lynchburg, Virginia, as the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic. I thank my colleague Senator Warner for introducing it.

Private First Class Doss served with extraordinary courage during many of World War II's fiercest battles. His actions saved the lives of hundreds of his fellow soldiers, despite never being an active combatant, and his story is nothing short of heroic. I am proud to support this bill to honor his service.

The son of a decorated World War I veteran, Mr. Doss was raised in Lynchburg, Virginia, as a devout Seventh-day Adventist. A cornerstone of his faith was pacificism, but despite this, he enlisted into the Army in April of 1942 following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

During our Nation's darkest hour, he made the patriotic decision to balance his religious belief in nonviolence with a calling to protect his Nation by pursuing a nonarmed role as an Army medic. Assigned to 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Division, Private First Class Doss soon found himself in some of the Pacific theater's most intense combat. Notably, he was awarded two Bronze Star

Medals for exceptional valor in Guam and the Philippines, aiding wounded soldiers under fire.

Private First Class Doss and the members of the 77th Infantry Division were assigned a major role during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, the bloodiest conflict in the Pacific. The nearly 3-month-long battle resulted in roughly 49,000 American casualties, including 13,000 servicemembers who were killed in action.

Private First Class Doss demonstrated extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Okinawa, saving upwards of over 100 soldiers over the course of the conflict while routinely placing himself in the line of fire. Many of the casualties he saved were during operations during the notorious Maeda Escarpment, commonly called Hacksaw Ridge.

Time and again in the conflict, Private First Class Doss exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire to provide aid to wounded soldiers and evacuate them to safety.

Even when Private First Class Doss sustained his own injuries, he never gave up on providing aid to his fellow soldiers. While tending to wounded soldiers during a night raid, Private First Class Doss was seriously wounded in the legs from a grenade blast. To avoid having another medic risk his life to save him, he valiantly cared for his own wounds and waited 5 hours before a medical evacuation team could reach him.

Noticing a critically wounded soldier nearby, Private First Class Doss crawled off the litter he was laying on and ensured his evacuation team cared for that man first. In all, Private First Class Doss saved the lives of 75 wounded infantrymen.

For his tremendous bravery and heroism, Private First Class Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 12, 1945.

The immense courage, sacrifice, and patriotism that Private First Class Doss displayed while serving in the Pacific theater are in many ways unfathomable.

As a nation, we owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid, but we should commit to honoring his legacy. I can think of no better way to ensure that his service is remembered for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask that my colleagues do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 3938 to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Lynchburg, Virginia, as the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly support the legislation to name the Lynchburg, Virginia, VA Clinic after Private First Class Desmond T. Doss, a World War II hero and Medal of Honor recipient.

This bill, S. 3938, is the Senate companion following and complementing my original legislation, and I thank Senator Warner for joining me in championing this cause.

Desmond Doss is greatly admired in my district, and in May of 2023 at the request of some of my constituents, I introduced a bill to rename the Lynchburg VA Clinic after him in honor of his outstanding legacy.

It is fitting for the building that provides healthcare services to our Nation's heroes to be named after one who dedicated his military career to saving as many lives as possible.

A devout Seventh-day Adventist, Doss believed that killing in all circumstances was wrong, nevertheless, he still chose to serve his country as a medic in the United States Army when called upon during World War II.

Doss proved his heroism in battle and under fire and became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor after fearlessly saving 75 wounded men in the Battle of Okinawa.

As the Medal of Honor citation describes: ``Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands.''

The citation describes many more instances where Doss disregarded his own personal safety to protect others.

Many Americans saw his story depicted in the popular 2016 movie ``Hacksaw Ridge.''

His extraordinary bravery was true faith in action. Although he didn't have to pay the ultimate price in battle, he lived the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

Doss' humble beginnings were in my district, in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Lynchburg has always loved him. In 1945, the city threw a parade in his honor, but it has been nearly 80 years since then, and Lynchburg wants another opportunity to celebrate one of our most heroic citizens.

Today, if the House passes this bill, it will be sent to the President's desk, and this Congress will have done a small thing to honor a great man. I trust my colleagues will join me in voting ``yes.''

In conclusion, I thank the entire Virginia delegation for uniting behind this bill. I would especially like to thank Steve Bozeman, my veteran constituent, who came to me with this idea. Steve Bozeman leads a weekly gathering to support the troops in Lynchburg, Virginia, and this group of mostly veterans has met without fail every Friday for more than 20 years, so well over 1,000 consecutive Fridays to honor our veterans and our military servicemembers.

Finally, I express my gratitude for the sacrifices made by all veterans and servicemembers who fought to keep our Nation safe. Mr. Speaker, it has been a privilege to represent them in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3938) to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lynchburg, Virginia, as the ``Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 3938.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of S. 3938, a bill that designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lynchburg, Virginia, as the Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic.

Desmond T. Doss was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1919 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1944, he took part in both the Battle of Guam and the Battle of the Philippines, serving as a medic in the 77th Infantry Division. While serving in those battles, he earned two Bronze Stars for exceptional valor in assisting wounded soldiers while under fire.

In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, PFC Doss saved an estimated 75 wounded men atop the infamous Hacksaw Ridge. For his heroism, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman.

After the war, he raised a son with his wife, Dorothy, on a small farm in Georgia.

PFC Doss remains a testament to the American spirit and an example of going above and beyond to answer the call of duty.

By naming the VA clinic after him, his story of service will be told for generations of Americans.

I thank the sponsor of the bill, Senator Warner, as well as the entire Virginia delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 3938, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3938.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.