HR-4647-119
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 458.
Sponsored by Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
What it does
This bill would designate the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in West Haven, Connecticut as the "Captain Paul W. 'Bud' Bucha VA Medical Center." It requires that any future federal reference to this facility use the new name, but makes no changes to funding, staffing, or services.
Who benefits
The family of Paul W. "Bud" Bucha and veterans' service organizations that advocated for the designation. Veterans who received care at the facility and community members who wish to honor his Medal of Honor service and advocacy for veterans' mental health also gain symbolic recognition.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully affected. The name change alters signage and administrative records but does not change medical services, staffing, or funding at the facility.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue the designation honors a Medal of Honor recipient who not only displayed extraordinary combat heroism in Vietnam but also became a vocal advocate for veterans' mental health, using the West Haven facility himself for post-traumatic stress and neurological care. They contend naming the medical center after him is a fitting tribute given his direct connection to that facility in his final years and his broader advocacy work with veterans service organizations.
Opponents argue
Opponents of commemorative naming bills in general argue that such measures consume floor time and legislative resources that could go toward substantive veterans' policy, such as addressing VA healthcare wait times or staffing shortages. They contend that facility naming decisions might be better handled administratively by the VA itself rather than requiring an act of Congress for each individual case.
Constitutional context
This bill raises no constitutional question beyond Congress's authority under Article I to establish and administer federal facilities such as VA medical centers.
Checks and balances
Congress designates the name through statute; the Department of Veterans Affairs implements the change administratively, with no new authority created for any branch.
Historical precedent
Congress has enacted numerous similar bills naming VA facilities after decorated veterans, though no single directly analogous prior bill is identified here.