Senate committee holds bill to rename Victory Day after hours of testimony

The Rhode Island Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans' Affairs on Monday voted to hold Senate Bill 312, a measure from Senator Coleman that would rename the state holiday commonly known as Victory Day to "Peace and Remembrance Day." The committee held the bill for further study after extended testimony from veterans, clergy and advocacy groups.

Coleman, who introduced the bill, told the committee, “The bill in front of you would change the name of Victory Day. That's all it would do.” She framed the measure as an attempt to honor all who served in World War II while removing language she and supporters say can be read as celebrating the defeat of Japan.

The bill prompted sharply divided testimony. Supporters included faith leaders and peace advocates who said the proposed name is more inclusive. Sister Catherine Donovan of the Sisters of Mercy, who said she was born in 1942, testified, “Peace is victory.” Peter Nardengill, a retired physics professor who described family experience in World War II and the Holocaust, told the committee, “A day of peace and remembrance lets all find meaning in their own way.” William Smith of Jamestown, representing local activists, urged the committee to pass a study commission and noted the need for public discussion about nuclear weapons and wartime consequences.

Opponents and some veterans’ representatives cautioned against changing the name. A member of the committee noted veterans who still prefer the name Victory Day. Tiger Patrick, a state officer of the Veterans of Foreign Wars testifying as a veteran, said he was "mortified" by the bill and described how his family observed the day as a community celebration. Other senators and witnesses stressed Rhode Island's heavy World War II casualty rate per capita and the importance of honoring military sacrifice.

Committee members asked about the bill’s effect on veterans’ recognition and Rhode Island’s reputation with international partners. Coleman and witnesses referenced estimates cited in testimony — including an assertion that Rhode Island had “slightly better than a thousand World War II veterans still living” per a 2022 survey and that the atomic bombings killed "as many as 200,000 people, mostly civilians" — and urged the committee to weigh both veteran recognition and the experience of Japanese Americans.

After public and written testimony from veterans organizations, faith leaders and other residents, a motion to hold the bill for further study was put to a voice vote and the chair announced the ayes had it. The committee did not advance the bill to a final vote.

The bill remained under committee consideration; proponents said a rename would emphasize remembrance and inclusivity, while opponents said the existing name honors military sacrifice. The committee did not set a new date for further action.