Naming VA Facilities

Naming VA Facilities

Naming VA Facilities
Updated April 9, 2024
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R46740

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Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Authority for Naming Facilities ...................................................................................................... 1
Transferring Facility Names ...................................................................................................... 2
Facility Naming Rules ..................................................................................................................... 2
Recent Examples of Legislation ......................................................................................... 4

Contacts
Author Information .......................................................................................................................... 8

Congressional Research Service

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Introduction
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates a large number of facilities across its three
major administrations: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits
Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). VHA owns and
operates approximately 5,593 buildings and operates another 1,714 leases.1 VBA operates
approximately 214 offices nationwide.2 NCA operates 158 national cemeteries and 35 other
cemeterial installations.3
Under current law, VA is restricted to naming facilities for the geographic region where the
facilities are located.4 For instance, the VA Medical Center in Washington, DC, is named the
“Washington DC VA Medical Center.” VA cannot name the facility for an individual without an
act of Congress requiring such name change.
Among Members of Congress, there is often interest in naming VA facilities, such as VA medical
centers (VAMCs), hospitals, community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), regional offices, and
cemeteries to commemorate specific individuals.5 Since 1998, this has solely been a
congressional prerogative accomplished through legislation with rules set by the House and
Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC and SVAC, respectively). Legislative proposals
from the current and previous Congress can be found in this report’s “Recent Examples of
Legislation” section. This report provides a brief overview of the legal authority for naming VA
facilities, the current process, and recent examples of legislation to name facilities.6
Authority for Naming Facilities
Congress established VA’s naming limitations under the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of
1998 (P.L. 105-368). Under Section 1001 of the act, except as expressly provided by law, a
facility, structure, or real property of VA, and a major portion (such as a wing or floor) of any
such facility, structure, or real property, may be named by the VA only for the geographic area in
which the facility, structure, or real property is located.7
Prior to enactment of this law, the VA Secretary’s authority to name facilities and the
congressional role in the process was less clear. Based on debate included in the Congressional
Record during consideration of the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998, then-Secretary
of Veterans Affairs Togo West attempted to name a VA cemetery after Abraham Lincoln without
congressional approval, which drew disapproval from then-Representative Ray LaHood:
Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the issue of naming VA facilities. This has been a very
frustrating problem for me and my constituents, particularly in Springfield, Illinois.

1 Department of Veterans Affairs, FY2025 Congressional Submission, Budget in Brief, March 2025, p. BiB-20.
2 VBA Facilities Report, https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/rpt_fac_list.cfm.
3. Department of Veterans Affairs, FY2025 Congressional Submission, Budget in Brief, March 2025, p. BiB-41.
4 38 U.S.C. §531.
5 38 C.F.R. §38.602 provides the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs with the responsibility of naming features
within national cemeteries. The Under Secretary can name features after historically notable persons, places, or events,
in addition to geographic locations. For more information, see CRS Report R46813, Department of Veterans Affairs:
Burial Benefits and the National Cemetery Administration.
6 For more information on commemorating individuals in general, see CRS Report R43539, Commemorations in
Congress: Options for Honoring Individuals, Groups, and Events.
7 38 U.S.C. §531.
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On April 8 of this year, VA’s Secretary Togo West issued a press release naming the
cemetery-in-progress near Joliet, Illinois the “Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.” In
my opinion, Mr. West’s office moved unilaterally without any congressional or Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs input whatsoever, disregarding VA’s own policy on naming facilities.
Many of my colleagues from down-State Illinois were completely unaware of this.
Congress has well-established procedures for naming facilities of all kinds in honor of
individuals. The VA chose to step outside its legal authority, ignoring procedures and
precedent. VA’s own policy clearly states that the naming of VA facilities in honor of
individuals can be done only by congressional mandate.
This situation has me very concerned about the VA’s apparent lack of regard for
procedures. I am pleased that this legislation we are considering today provides a solution.
The VA will no longer be able to sidestep proper procedures in naming facilities. Congress’
authority to naming facilities in honor of individuals will be codified and, hopefully, no
more confusion will exist.8
The VA cemetery was ultimately named after President Abraham Lincoln. However, since
passage of the act, VA has deferred to Congress in the naming of federal property in honor of
individuals.
Transferring Facility Names
The Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 did not grant VA the authority to transfer the
name of a facility to another facility. For instance, if VA replaced an aging facility that was
already named after an individual via congressional action, the department was limited to naming
the new facility for the geographic location of the facility only. The 117th Congress enacted
legislation amending 38 U.S.C. §531 to allow such a name transfer.9
The Secretary is now authorized to transfer the name of a property if
• the original property was designated with that name by law;
• the department no longer offers benefits or services at the original covered
property;
• the other property is similar in type and purpose to the original named property;
and
• the other property is located at a different location or address but within the same
area (i.e., town, city, or other local government area) that was specified in the law
that named the original facility.
The Secretary is required to notify the committees of jurisdiction and each Member of Congress
representing the state in which the original property and the other property are located of the
intent to transfer the name.
Facility Naming Rules
The rules for naming VA facilities are set by the HVAC and SVAC. At the start of each new
Congress, the committees decide their respective committee rules of procedure, which historically

8 Rep. Ray H. LaHood, “Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 1998,” remarks in the House, Congressional Record,
daily edition, vol. 144, part 142 (October 10, 1998), p. H10374.
9 P.L. 117-137.
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include a rule for renaming facilities after a deceased individual.10 In the 118th Congress, both
veterans committees’ rules outline similar requirements for facility or property renaming.11 These
rules prohibit naming a VA facility after an individual unless the individual is deceased and meets
at least one of the following criteria:
• A veteran who was
• involved in the construction of the facility;
• a recipient of the Medal of Honor;
• determined by the chairman and ranking minority member to have performed
military service of an extraordinarily distinguished character; or
• a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate with direct association
to the facility or property; or
• an Administrator of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of
Defense or of a service branch, or a military or other federal civilian official of
comparable or higher rank; or
• an individual determined by the chair and ranking minority member to have
performed outstanding service for veterans.
In addition, each member of the congressional delegation representing the state where the
designated facility or property is located must indicate, in writing, such member’s support of the
proposal to name such a facility or property after such an individual. Finally, the pertinent state
department or chapter of each congressionally chartered veterans’ organization with a national
membership of at least 500,000 must indicate, in writing, its support of the bill.12
Both committees’ rules allow for any of the above criteria to be waived by unanimous consent.

10 For the HVAC rules of procedure, see https://democrats-
veterans.house.gov/imo/media/doc/committee_rules_118th.pdf. For the SVAC rules of procedure, see
https://www.veterans.senate.gov/committee-rules.
11 The HVAC rules of procedure include the phrase “facility or property.” The SVAC rules of procedure only use the
term “facility.”
12 Under certain circumstances, the committee may grant a waiver to accept written support from pertinent chapters or
posts of chartered veterans’ organizations in lieu of the State department. For more information on congressionally
chartered veterans organizations, see CRS Report R47236, Title 36 Charters: The History and Evolution of
Congressional Practices.
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Recent Examples of Legislation
Legislation to name VA facilities is frequently considered in Congress. Typically, legislation to
name VA facilities to commemorate an individual highlights the individual’s accomplishments
that merit such an honor in the legislative text. In addition, the legislative text identifies the
location of the facility and the new name (see text box for a detailed example).
Selected Example of Enacted Legislation
To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka, Indiana, as the “Jackie Walorski VA
Clinic.” (P.L. 117-179)
The first clause includes findings, which briefly describe Jackie Walorski’s life, including her ties to the area in
which the facility is located:
(1) Jackie Walorski was born August 17, 1963, in South Bend, Indiana.
(2) Jackie Walorski grew up in South Bend raised by her parents, Martha, who worked at a local grocery
store, and Raymond, an Air Force veteran and firefighter who owned an appliance store.
(3) Jackie Walorski graduated from James Whitcomb Riley High School in 1981 and is an alumna of Taylor
University.
(4) Upon her graduation, Jackie Walorski worked as a reporter for a television station in South Bend and
later worked for local chapters of the Humane Society and Chamber of Commerce as well as served as a
development officer for area universities.
(5) In 2000, she and her husband Dean Swihart moved to Romania and founded Impact International, a
nonprofit foundation that provided medical supplies and attention to impoverished children while they served
as missionaries there for four years.
(6) In 2004, she was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives and subsequently reelected to that
office every two years where she served three ful terms in office.
(7) In 2012, she was elected to the United States House of Representatives and subsequently reelected to
that office until her death in a tragic car accident in 2022.
(8) During her service in the United States House of Representatives, she was a passionate advocate for all
her constituents, but especial y veterans in the area.
(9) During her service in the United States House of Representatives, she served on the Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs for two terms, during that time authoring the Veterans Mobility Safety Act of 2016 (Public
Law 114–256).
(10) In 2017, through her persistent advocacy for area veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs
completed construction of a medical clinic in St. Joseph County, Indiana, to meet the needs of Michiana area
veterans.
The second clause identifies the facility to be named after the individual and specifies the name:
The clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in Mishawaka, Indiana, shall after the date of the
enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ‘ Jackie Walorski VA Clinic.”
The third clause specifies that “any reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the
United States” to the facility shall be deemed to be a reference to the new name.
Some of the most recent examples of VA naming legislation from the 118th and 117th Congresses
are listed below. These include resolutions expressing support for facility names; unlike bills,
such resolutions do not authorize facilities to be designated by particular names. Enacted
legislation is listed first, followed by introduced legislation.13 These lists are not comprehensive
and are provided as examples.14

13 The 118th congressional session is still active as of the publication of this report. As such, some of the introduced
legislation may be enacted before the close of the 118th Congress.
14 CRS searched Congress.gov for proposals with the word veterans in the bill title and at least one of the following
(continued...)
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118th Congress
H.R. 7333, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in West Palm Beach,
Florida, as the “Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center.”
H.R. 6991, To designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Wyandotte
County, Kansas City, Kansas, as the “Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.”
H.R. 6919, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Tomah, Wisconsin, as
the “Jason Simcakoski Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.”
H.R. 5597, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Bloomington, Illinois, as the “Andrew Jackson Smith Medal of Honor Department of Veterans
Affairs Clinic.”
H.R. 5464, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Guntersville, Alabama, as the “Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.”
H.R. 4955, To name the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs
in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the “Henry Parham VA Clinic.”
H.R. 4136, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic Act.
H.R. 3696, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Lynchburg, Virginia, as the “Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic.”
H.R. 3672, To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indian River,
Michigan, as the “Pfc. Justin T. Paton Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.” Enacted as P.L.
118-12.
H.R. 1590, To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico,
as the Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura VA Clinic.
H.R. 251, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Vallejo, California, as
the “Delphine Metcalf-Foster VA Clinic.”
H.Res. 851, Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the naming of new or
undedicated facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs after women veterans and minority
veterans in order to reflect the diversity of all who have served in the Armed Forces of the United
States.
S. 3938, 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.”
S. 3822, A bill to designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in West Palm
Beach, Florida, as the “Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center.”
S. 3614, A bill to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Vallejo,
California, as the “Delphine Metcalf-Foster VA Clinic.”
S. 3562, A bill to designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tomah,
Wisconsin, as the “Jason Simcakoski Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.”
S. 3249, A bill to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in
Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas, as the “Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.”

terms in the bill titles: designate, name, naming. The search results can be viewed at
https://www.congress.gov/u/8ODr9v-rpCJiBnZijuMYC.
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S. 2858, A bill to name the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Guntersville, Alabama, as the “Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs
Clinic.”
S. 1986, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic Act.
S. 475, A bill to designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New
Mexico, as the Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura VA Clinic.
117th Congress
Enacted Legislation
P.L. 117-56, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Columbus, Georgia, as the Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic.
P.L. 117-57, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Aurora, Colorado, as the Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley VA Clinic.
P.L. 117-89, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Gaylord, Michigan, as the Navy Corpsman Steve Andrews Department of Veterans Affairs Health
Care Clinic.
P.L. 117-98, To designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in San Diego,
California, as the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and to support
the designation of a component of such medical center in honor of Kathleen Bruyere.
P.L. 117-131, A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of
Veterans Affairs planned to be built in Oahu, Hawaii, as the “Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department
of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.”
P.L. 117-134, A bill to rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the “Col. Gail S.
Halvorsen ‘Candy Bomber’ Veterans Center.”
P.L. 117-179, To designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka,
Indiana, as the “Jackie Walorski VA Clinic.”
P.L. 117-199, To designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ventura,
California, as the “Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic.”
P.L. 117-208, A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of
Veterans Affairs in San Angelo, Texas, as the “Colonel Charles and JoAnne Powell Department of
Veterans Affairs Clinic.”
P.L. 117-227, Senator Johnny Isakson VA Regional Office Act of 2022.
Introduced Legislation (117th Congress)
H.R. 1281, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Gaylord, Michigan, as the “Navy Corpsman Steve Andrews Department of Veterans Affairs
Health Care Clinic.”
H.R. 1737, To designate the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Facility
Expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs Alvin C. York Medical Center in Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, as the “Sergeant John Toombs Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Facility.”
H.R. 1960, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic,
located at 400 College Drive, Middleburg, Florida, the “A.K. Baker VA Clinic.”
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H.R. 4787, To rename the Provo Veterans Center in Orem, Utah, as the “Gail S. Halvorsen
‘Candy Bomber’ Veterans Center.”
H.R. 5481, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Forest City, North Carolina, as the “Master Sergeant Jerry K. Crump VA Clinic.”
H.R. 5579, Jerry Lewis VA Clinic Act.
H.R. 5929, Las Cruces Bataan Memorial Clinic Act.
H.R. 5943, To designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Greenville,
South Carolina, as the “Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell Outpatient Clinic.”
H.R. 6244/S. 3369, Max Cleland VA Medical Center Act.
H.R. 6313, To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
French Camp, California, as the “Richard A. Pittman Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care
Clinic.”
H.R. 6722, To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
French Camp, California, as the “Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic.”
H.R. 6863, To designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Memphis,
Tennessee, as the “Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center.”
H.R. 7903, To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic
located in Canton, Michigan, as the “Major General Oliver W. Dillard VA Clinic.”
H.R. 7925, To designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic
located in Palm Desert, California, as the “Sy Kaplan VA Clinic.”
H.R. 7944, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic to be
constructed in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. ‘Bud’ Lomell, Jr. VA Clinic, and for other
purposes.
H.R. 9237, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in
Vallejo, California, as the “Delphine Metcalf-Foster VA Clinic.”
H.Res. 50. Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the naming of new or
undedicated facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs after women veterans and minority
veterans in order to reflect the diversity of all who have served in the Armed Forces of the United
States.
S. 1803, A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans
Affairs in Columbus, Georgia, as the “Robert S. Poydasheff Department of Veterans Affairs
Clinic.”
S. 2159, A bill to designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans
Affairs located at 400 College Drive, Middleburg, Florida, as the “Andrew K. Baker Department
of Veterans Affairs Clinic”, and for other purposes.
S. 3376, A bill to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in
Greenville, South Carolina, as the “Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell Department of Veterans
Affairs Outpatient Clinic.”
S. 4797, A bill to designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka,
Indiana, as the “Jackie Walorski VA Clinic.”
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S. 5016, Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System Act of
2022.

Author Information

Jared S. Sussman
Tamar B. Breslauer
Analyst in Health Policy
Senior Research Librarian

Acknowledgments
This report was originally co-authored by CRS Senior Research Librarian Carol D. Davis.

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