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"
PL 115-47 (H.R.2210), enacted 08/16/2017

131 STAT. 971 
PUBLIC LAW 115–47—AUG. 16, 2017 
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’’. 
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 oper-
ator 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 Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County, 
Aug. 16, 2017 
[H.R. 2210] 
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131 STAT. 972 
PUBLIC LAW 115–47—AUG. 16, 2017 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2210: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 
July 17, considered and passed House. 
Aug. 1, considered and passed Senate. 
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 commu-
nity 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. 
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