Report in Support of Renaming the Manhattan VA to the “Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System”

H.R. 1925 (Rep. Maloney)
S. 898 (Sen. Gillibrand)

AN ACT designating the Manhattan Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs in New York, New York, as the “Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System.”

THIS BILL IS SUPPORTED

The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and the Sex and Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association stand in support of legislation to designate the Manhattan Campus of the New York Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the “Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System” (H.R. 1925 / S. 898). Naming the Manhattan VA Medical Center for Revolutionary War hero Margaret Corbin is a powerful recognition of the contribution and sacrifice of all women service members and veterans.

The New York City Bar Association, through its 150 committees, works to improve and reform the law and its application in a wide variety of areas. The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee’s mission focuses broadly on issues that affect the military community, which includes those currently serving as well as veterans and military families. The Sex and Law Committee addresses issues pertaining to gender and the law including gender discrimination, reproductive rights, employment law, and matrimonial and family law. As such, we stand behind the important step to equitably afford women veterans access to the benefits and services they have earned.

Renaming the Manhattan VA would signal a major shift in VA culture. Women have long been under-recognized for their military service and underserved by VA services. Despite having fought in every conflict in our country’s history and today being the fastest growing group of veterans, none of the more than 1,200 VA health care facilities are named after a woman veteran. Margaret Cochran Corbin, who went with the First Company of Pennsylvania Artillery to defend New York City exemplifies the best of New York and the United States military.[1] Renaming the Manhattan Campus for the first American woman to be wounded in combat and receive a pension would send a strong message that women veterans are honored and welcomed by the VA.

Further, naming the Manhattan Campus after a New Yorker who was wounded while firing a cannon against the British from Fort Washington on Manhattan Island in 1776 would also be a geographically suitable choice. In doing so, New York would champion the service of women veterans past and present and send a strong message of commitment to their needs. A more inclusive VA shows a meaningful engagement to appropriately acknowledging and serving women.

The bill has been passed by both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and awaits the President’s signature. The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and the Sex and Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association strongly urge enactment of this bill.

Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Christopher Amore, Chair

Sex and Law Committee
Farah Diaz-Tello, Co-Chair
Olympias Iliana Konidaris, Co-Chair

January 2021

Contact

Elizabeth Kocienda, Director of Advocacy | 212.382.4788 | ekocienda@nycbar.org

Mary Margulis-Ohnuma, Policy Counsel | 212.382.6767 | mmargulis-ohnuma@nycbar.org