U.S.S. Doris Miller Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10817 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10817

   To express the sense of Congress regarding the naming of a naval 
aircraft carrier for Mess Attendant Third Class Doris ``Dorie'' Miller, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 15, 2026

  Mrs. Dingell (for herself, Mr. Mfume, and Mr. Bell) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To express the sense of Congress regarding the naming of a naval 
aircraft carrier for Mess Attendant Third Class Doris ``Dorie'' Miller, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``U.S.S. Doris Miller Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF NAVAL AIRCRAFT CARRIER 
              FOR MESS ATTENDANT THIRD CLASS DORIS ``DORIE'' MILLER.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of the Navy should name an aircraft carrier of the United 
States Navy the ``Doris Miller'' in honor of Mess Attendant Third Class 
Doris ``Dorie'' Miller, for the acts of valor described in subsection 
(b) and in line with the Navy's 2020 announcement to name a future Ford 
class aircraft carrier after Doris Miller.
    (b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor described in this 
subsection are the actions of Doris ``Dorie'' Miller, as a member of 
the United States Navy, as follows:
            (1) Following Dorie Miller's birth to Connery and Henrietta 
        Miller, sharecroppers in Waco, Texas, he enlisted in the United 
        States Navy in 1939, as a Mess Attendant, one of the few 
        positions open to African Americans in the Navy.
            (2) On December 7, 1941, Miller was serving aboard the 
        U.S.S. West Virginia in Pearl Harbor when Japan attacked. He 
        moved the wounded captain of U.S.S. West Virginia to safety, 
        and then despite lacking proper training, he took control of an 
        anti-aircraft gun and brought down attacking Japanese aircraft. 
        Even as the ship began to sink, he only abandoned his position 
        when he ran out of ammunition.
            (3) After the gun ran out of ammunition, Miller assisted in 
        evacuating sailors after the order to abandon ship and was one 
        of the last three men to leave the vessel as it sank.
            (4) In March of 1942, Representative John Dingell, Sr. 
        introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to award to 
        Dorie Miller the Medal of Honor, the Nation's highest military 
        decoration.
            (5) In May of 1942, Miller was presented with the Navy 
        Cross by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, making Miller the first 
        Black sailor to receive such an honor.
            (6) Miller's image was used for Navy recruitment posters, 
        and he was recalled to the United States for a war bonds tour 
        before returning to active service in the Pacific on a new 
        carrier, the U.S.S. Liscome Bay.
            (7) On November 24, 1943, Miller was killed in action when 
        his carrier was hit by a torpedo during the Gilbert Islands 
        Campaign.
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