Captain Paul W. ``bud'' Bucha Va Medical Center

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I am honored and grateful for this opportunity to put forward this legislation. It is legislation that honors a man who embodied the highest ideals of service to his country, his fellow soldiers, and his community, Captain Paul W. ``Bud'' Bucha, a longtime resident of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a Medal of Honor recipient.

The bill would rename the West Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Haven, Connecticut, where Captain Bucha received care for PTSD after his service and neurological care for Alzheimer's disease before he passed away on July 31, 2024.

Captain Bucha received the Medal of Honor in 1970 for his heroic service while on Active Duty during the Vietnam war. He distinguished himself with extraordinary heroism while leading 89 men on a reconnaissance mission in Vietnam under heavy enemy fire from about 1,500 soldiers. He fearlessly directed our defenses, personally destroyed a machine-gun bunker, and sustained a shrapnel wound. Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, Captain Bucha also directed the medical evacuation of three air ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel.

The captain's dedication to serving others continued after his time in uniform. He served as president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society from 1995 to 1999. He advised President Obama on foreign policy during his 2008 Presidential campaign. He served on the board of directors of Homes For Our Troops, a veteran service organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured 9/11 veterans. He also served as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach Services at the United States Department of Labor.

Even after his death, Captain Bucha's selflessness lives on. His brain was donated to the Center for Human Brain Discovery at Yale University for research.

Naming the West Haven VA Medical Center in his honor is a deserving tribute to a hero who fought for this country. He earned this highest military distinction and then continued to fight for veterans throughout his life.

His legacy, a legacy of courage and compassion, will live on through the care provided to each and every veteran who walks through its doors.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to propose this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it. I hope that we can move it quickly, with the Senate, and bring it to the President for signature.

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