H.Res. 1362

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1362 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1362

Honoring the life, military service, and congressional legacy of the 
Honorable Charles Bernard Rangel, and his enduring contributions to the 
alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 11, 2026

Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Min, Mr. Moylan, Ms. 
Strickland, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Cleaver, and Mr. Sherman) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Honoring the life, military service, and congressional legacy of the 
Honorable Charles Bernard Rangel, and his enduring contributions to the 
alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

Whereas Charles Bernard Rangel was born on June 11, 1930, in Harlem, New York, 
where he was raised by his family and community, and where he would 
spend a lifetime in devoted public service;
Whereas, at the age of 17, Mr. Rangel left school to enlist in the United States 
Army, serving as an artillery specialist in the all-Black 503rd Field 
Artillery Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division from 1948 to 1952 
during the Korean war;
Whereas, in November 1950, during the Battle of Kunu-ri, Rangel, though wounded 
by shrapnel from a Chinese artillery shell, heroically led approximately 
40 soldiers out of a deadly Chinese Army encirclement under conditions 
of extreme cold and sustained enemy fire, an act of valor for which he 
was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal with Valor;
Whereas Mr. Rangel also received the Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of 
Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and 3 Battle Stars for his 
extraordinary military service during the Korean war;
Whereas Mr. Rangel carried his experience of the Korean war with him for the 
rest of his life, describing the resilience of the Korean people and 
their nation's recovery as a source of profound personal inspiration, 
and later writing in his autobiography ``And I Haven't Had a Bad Day 
Since: From the Streets of Harlem to the Halls of Congress'' that the 
Battle at Kunu-ri was the worst day of his life, and that he had not had 
a bad day since;
Whereas, following his honorable discharge from the Army in 1952, Mr. Rangel 
used the GI Bill to pursue his education, earning a degree from New York 
University and a law degree from St. John's Law School in Queens;
Whereas Mr. Rangel was first elected to the United States House of 
Representatives in 1970 and went on to serve 23 consecutive terms 
representing the people of Harlem and New York City from January 3, 
1971, to January 3, 2017, making him the ninth-longest-serving Member of 
Congress in history at the time of his retirement;
Whereas Mr. Rangel was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
helping to establish one of the most consequential legislative 
coalitions in the history of the House of Representatives;
Whereas Mr. Rangel became the first African-American Member of Congress to serve 
on the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, and 
in 2007 became the first African American to chair that Committee;
Whereas Mr. Rangel's experience in the Korean war forged in him a lifelong and 
deep personal commitment to the alliance between the United States and 
the Republic of Korea, a commitment he described in his own words, 
``Korea will always have a place in my heart as I continue to work on 
bringing our two countries closer while promoting peace between the two 
Koreas'';
Whereas Mr. Rangel authored and championed the Korean war Veterans Recognition 
Act, ensuring that the service and sacrifice of Korean war veterans 
received the congressional recognition they deserved, and introduced a 
resolution in the House of Representatives to encourage peace and 
reunification on the Korean Peninsula;
Whereas, throughout his congressional tenure from 1971 to 2017, Mr. Rangel 
consistently supported the strength and resilience of the United States-
Republic of Korea alliance, including through his work on the Committee 
on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, where he engaged on 
trade policy affecting the bilateral economic relationship between the 2 
nations;
Whereas Mr. Rangel was honored by the Korea Society with its highest 
distinction, the Van Fleet Award, in 2020, in recognition of his decades 
of service to the cause of Korean war veterans and to the strengthening 
of ties between the United States and the Republic of Korea;
Whereas Mr. Rangel was honored by the Korea Economic Institute of America 
alongside fellow Members of Congress for his service during the Korean 
war and his continued efforts to advance the bilateral relationship;
Whereas, following Mr. Rangel's passing on May 26, 2025, at Harlem Hospital 
Center at the age of 94, 70 members of the National Assembly of the 
Republic of Korea introduced a resolution in the National Assembly 
commemorating his life, expressing gratitude for his service in the 
Korean war, and honoring his contributions to the development and 
strength of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance;
Whereas the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea further resolved to 
continue to remember and cherish the values and spirit of the United 
States-Republic of Korea alliance in his honor;
Whereas Mr. Rangel was interred with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery 
on July 16, 2025, alongside his beloved wife, Alma Rangel; and
Whereas Mr. Rangel's life from the streets of Harlem to the battlefields of 
Korea to the halls of Congress stands as an enduring testament to the 
ideals of courage, service, and democratic commitment that form the 
bedrock of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance: Now, therefore, 
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors the life, military valor, and 46 years of 
distinguished congressional service of the Honorable Charles 
Bernard Rangel;
(2) recognizes Mr. Rangel's extraordinary bravery during 
the Battle of Kunu-ri in November 1950, for which he was 
awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, 
as emblematic of the sacrifice made by all members of the 
United States Armed Forces who answered the call during the 
Korean war;
(3) commends Mr. Rangel's tireless and decades-long 
commitment to strengthening the alliance between the United 
States and the Republic of Korea, including through his 
authorship of legislation honoring Korean war veterans, his 
advocacy for Korean Peninsula peace and reunification, and his 
personal dedication to advancing the bilateral relationship 
between the 2 nations;
(4) acknowledges with gratitude the bipartisan resolution 
passed by 70 members of the National Assembly of the Republic 
of Korea honoring Mr. Rangel's life and contributions to the 
United States-Republic of Korea alliance as a powerful 
expression of the enduring bond between the 2 peoples; and
(5) reaffirms the commitment of the United States House of 
Representatives to honoring the legacy of all veterans of the 
Korean war and to the strength, resilience, and continued 
flourishing of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance.
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