I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4042 

To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community clinic in New 

City, New York, as the ‘‘Jerry Donnellan VA Community Clinic’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2019 

Mrs. LOWEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community 

clinic in New City, New York, as the ‘‘Jerry Donnellan 

VA Community Clinic’’. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress makes the following findings: 

5 (1) In July 1968, Gerald T. ‘‘Jerry’’ Donnellan 

6 of Valley Cottage, New York, was drafted into the 

7 Army and served with the 196th Light Infantry in 

8 Vietnam, attaining the rank of Sergeant. 


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1 (2) While in Vietnam, Donnellan was ambushed 

2 and sustained a compound fracture in his right arm 

3 and lost his right leg below the knee. 

4 (3) In 1986, Donnellan began to work in the 

5 Veterans Agency Office of Rockland County, New 

6 York. In 1992, he was appointed Commissioner of 

7 Veterans Affairs and held that position until Janu8 ary 2018 when he retired from the county’s Vet9 erans Service Agency after more than 30 years of 

10 service to veterans and their families. 

11 (4) During his tenure as Veterans Director, 

12 Donnellan created the local Chapter 333 of the Viet13 nam Veterans of America, opened the first Rockland 

14 County Veterans Homeless Shelter, created the 

15 Camp Shanks Museum, helped begin the modern 

16 tradition of Memorial Day watchfires to remember 

17 the fallen as General George Washington once did, 

18 and established the Rockland County Buffalo Sol19 diers’ Award to recognize the contributions of Afri20 can-American veterans. 

21 (5) Donnellan was instrumental in opening the 

22 first Department of Veterans Affairs community 

23 clinic in Rockland County. Recognizing the need for 

24 a local health center, he worked with the Depart25 ment of Veterans Affairs to secure a site and get it 


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1 approved. Serving more than 18,000 veterans a 

2 year, the New City VA health clinic is an important 

3 resource to help meet the needs of veterans in the 

4 community. 

5 (6) Donnellan received numerous medals for his 

6 service, including three Purple Hearts and the Rock7 land County Legislature’s Distinguished Service 

8 Award. 

9 (7) Besides being the founder and first Presi10 dent of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 333, 

11 Donnellan was a member and a veteran service offi12 cer for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, 

13 Chapter 120, a member of the Disabled American 

14 Veterans, Chapter 98, a member of the Rockland 

15 County Marine Corps League, and a member of the 

16 American Legion, Post 310. 

17 (8) Donnellan worked and volunteered for many 

18 non-profit organizations, such as the United Way, 

19 the Salvation Army, Dominican College, and for one 

20 of his alma maters through the Rockland Commu21 nity College Foundation. 

22 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF JERRY DONNELLAN VA COMMU23 NITY CLINIC. 

24 (a) DESIGNATION.—The Department of Veterans Af25 fairs community clinic in New City, New York, shall after 


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1 the date of the enactment of this Act be known as the 

2 ‘‘Jerry Donnellan VA Community Clinic’’. 

3 (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regula4 tion, map, document, paper, or other record of the United 

5 States to the community clinic referred to in subsection 

6 (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the Jerry 

7 Donnellan VA Community Clinic. 

Æ 


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