{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/newsroom/news/bill-filed-to-rename-tallahassee-va-clinic-in-honor-of-sgt-ernest-boots-thomas", "Bill filed to rename Tallahassee VA clinic in honor of Sgt. Ernest \"Boots\" Thomas", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Bill Nelson", "N000032", "www.billnelson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation on Tuesday to rename the Veterans Affairs Health Care Center on Orange Avenue in Tallahassee, in honor of Marine Corps Sgt. Ernest Boots Thomas.\n\nThomas, who was posthumously presented the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism during action in World War II, was part of the original American flag raising atop Iwo Jimas Mount Suribachi in 1945.\n\nA Florida native, Thomas first joined the Marines in 1942 shortly after the U.S. was attacked at Pearl Harbor. He was killed in action March 3, 1945, just days after the now-famous flag raising on Iwo Jima.\n\nSergeant Thomas is an American hero, Nelson said. I can think of no more fitting tribute to his extraordinary service to our country than the renaming of this VA clinic in his honor.\n\nThomas was born in Tampa, Florida before moving with his family to Monticello at the age of eight. He graduated from Monticello High School in 1941.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/newsroom/news/bill-filed-to-rename-tallahassee-va-clinic-in-honor-of-sgt-ernest-boots-thomas"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.358188921585679, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}