To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, as the "Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic".
Bill: H.R.6722 | Sponsor: Rep. McNerney, Jerry (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This act designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in French Camp, California, as the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic.

[117th Congress Public Law 235]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 2322]]

Public Law 117-235
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
    To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
   outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, as the ``Richard A. 
      Pittman VA Clinic''. <<NOTE: Dec. 20, 2022 -  [H.R. 6722]>> 

    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) Richard A. Pittman was born on May 26, 1945, in French 
        Camp, California.
            (2) Richard A. Pittman enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1965 
        and was later promoted to Lance Corporal.
            (3) On July 24, 1966, Lance Corporal Pittman's unit, First 
        Platoon, Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, was moving 
        along a trail near the Demilitarized Zone in the Republic of 
        Vietnam when the Marines ahead of them came under attack.
            (4) Upon hearing the attack, Lance Corporal Pittman took a 
        machine gun and several belts of ammunition and rushed to aid 
        his comrades. As he advanced, Lance Corporal Pittman encountered 
        intense small-arms fire at point-blank range. He was able to 
        return fire and silence the enemy combatants. Continuing towards 
        the attacked Marines, Lance Corporal Pittman came under heavy 
        fire from two automatic weapons, which he was able to destroy.
            (5) When Lance Corporal Pittman learned there were 
        additional wounded Marines further along the trail, he endured 
        enemy mortar and gunfire to get to them. As he reached them, he 
        faced an attack by 30 to 40 enemy fighters.
            (6) Lance Corporal Pittman used a combination of machine-gun 
        fire, an enemy submachine gun, a pistol from a fallen comrade, 
        and a grenade to cause enemy forces to withdraw. Due to his 
        courageous actions, many of his wounded comrades were saved.
            (7) In recognition of his bravery that day, Richard A. 
        Pittman, who was then a Sergeant, was awarded the Medal of Honor 
        by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 14, 1968.
            (8) Richard A. Pittman retired in 1988 as a Master Sergeant, 
        after having served in the Marine Corps for more than two 
        decades.
SEC. 2. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY-BASED 
                    OUTPATIENT CLINIC, FRENCH CAMP, CALIFORNIA.

    (a) Designation.--The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based 
outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, shall after

[[Page 136 STAT. 2323]]

the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the 
``Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic''.
    (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, 
paper, or other record of the United States to the clinic referred to in 
subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Richard A. 
Pittman VA Clinic''.

    Approved December 20, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 6722:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            Nov. 14, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 6, considered and passed Senate.

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