House Speaker Pelosi signs bill renaming St. Joseph County VA Clinic after late Indiana Rep. Walorski

WASHINGTON (WNDU) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed a bill Tuesday afternoon to rename the St. Joseph County VA Clinic in Mishawaka after late Congresswoman Jackie Walorksi.

Pelosi was joined by Walorski’s mother, Martha, and husband, Dean Swihart.

“Jackie would be thrilled,” her mother Martha said. “She worked very hard for veterans. My husband was a veteran. This is a very, very high honor.”

“I just have to agree with what my mother-in-law Martha said,” Swihart said. “Jackie did everything 100 percent, and this is a great honor for her.”

Senators unanimously supported H.R. 8656 after it passed in the House last month.

“Very pleased that this bill has gotten through the House of Representatives, and I look forward to getting this name placed on this facility to remember our colleague,” said Congressman Larry Bucshon.

Walorski was known for her devotion to veterans.

Walorski also served on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee for two terms and served on the House Armed Services Committee.

“People should know she was a true patriot,” Pelosi said. “She worked very hard for our veterans and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. This is such an appropriate designation.”

“Literally one of her big passions. You saw that in her ads, in her campaigns, but you saw that in her work,” said Rep. Fred Upton.

The bill, which now goes to President Biden’s desk for his signature, would rename the St. Joseph County VA Clinic to the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic.

“It will not be a problem. He’ll do that and rightly so in her honor. This facility will be named in support of her. It was a no brainer for everybody. It went through lickety-split,” said Upton.

The legislation aims to honor the congresswoman after her passing in an Elkhart County car crash last month.

Three others died in the crash, including two of Walorski’s staffers and a Nappanee woman.

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