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[115th Congress Public Law 47]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

[[Page 131 STAT. 971]]

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''. <<NOTE: Aug. 16, 2017 -  [H.R. 2210]>> 

    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 131 STAT. 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:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017):
            July 17, considered and passed House.
            Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>
```