Urging Further Action To Enact Legislation To Designate The Medical Center Of The Department Of Veterans Affairs Located At 3900 Woodland Avenue In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, As The "Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department Of Veterans Affairs Medical Center."

WHEREAS, United States Army Corporal Michael J. Crescenz was the only Philadelphian to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Vietnam War as result of performing great acts of courage and heroism; and was recognized posthumously by City Council by Resolution No. 120688 introduced by Councilman David Oh, passed on September 13, 2012, and presented in Council to Corporal Crescenz' brother; and

WHEREAS, United States Senators Patrick Toomey and Robert Casey introduced Bill S.229 on February 7, 2013, “To designate the medical center of the Department Of Veterans Affairs located at 3900 Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the 'Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'” with the short title: the “Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Act of 2013”, on which hearings were held on May 9, 2013, before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and

WHEREAS, United States Representatives Chaka Fattah, Robert Brady, and Allyson Schwartz, introduced Bill H.R.454 on February 4, 2013, “To designate the medical center of the Department Of Veterans Affairs located at 3900 Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the 'Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'”, which was referred on February 8, 2013, to the Subcommittee on Health of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs; and

WHEREAS, No further legislative action has been taken by the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives on these legislative bills; and

WHEREAS, City Council joins the rest of the City of Philadelphia in thanking United States Senators Patrick Toomey and Robert Casey, and United States Representatives Chaka Fattah, Robert Brady, and Allyson Schwartz, for introducing legislation to designate the medical center of the Department Of Veterans Affairs located at 3900 Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the “Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center”; but urges them to take such additional action as possible and necessary to get such legislation enacted”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby urges further action to enact legislation to designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 3900 Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the “Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.”

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