Full Breakdown
Senate Bills Aim to Safeguard the Naming of USS Doris Miller
By Drooid · · How we work
Legislative Action
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced plans to introduce three bills on Thursday that would bar the use of federal funds to rename the aircraft carrier currently slated to honor World War II hero Doris Miller. The measures would also prohibit future administrations from naming ships after sitting presidents or vice presidents and would require greater congressional oversight of the naming process.
Background on the Carrier’s Namesake
The vessel under construction is intended to be the first U.S. Navy aircraft carrier named after a Black service member and an enlisted sailor. Doris Miller, a mess attendant on the USS West Virginia, famously seized an anti-aircraft gun during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, shooting down at least one enemy plane and rescuing wounded sailors. He later became the first Black service member to receive the Navy Cross, the service’s second-highest honor.
Current Naming Controversy
Two U.S. officials reported that Navy leadership is discussing a possible change to name the carrier after former President Donald Trump, a move that would align with the administration’s broader pattern of placing the president’s name on federal property. One suggested justification for a rename is to award Miller the Medal of Honor—traditionally a naming criterion for destroyers, not carriers, which are usually named for presidents.
Official Statements & Responses
Sen. He framed the legislation as a defense of naval history and an effort to prevent political interference in ship naming.