An Act to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their support of this important bill that I am providing here to the House today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a great gentleman, one who fought for his community and who is so deserving to have the Statesboro VA clinic named after him, as was stated, Sergeant Major Ray Hendrix.

For those of you who are not aware of the life and legacy of Ray Hendrix, I would like to take some time here today to recognize the impact he had on so many lives in the State of Georgia and nationwide.

Ray Hendrix spent his entire life serving this great country. After 42 years of putting his life on the line in the U.S. Army, where he fought in the Korean war, his service was long from over.

As an active member of the American Legion, Ray continued to find ways to help his country and community, serving in several leadership posts at local, State, and national levels.

While working with the American Legion, Ray handed out wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and flags to public schools in his community. He also organized an efficient bus system in Augusta and Dublin, both located in Georgia's 12th District, that would transport veterans to the Charlie Norwood VA and Carl Vinson VA to receive needed treatment.

Continuing his work, Ray saw a need for a VA clinic right in his hometown of Statesboro. He worked diligently to collect 5,000 signatures from folks in his community to demonstrate the need for a VA clinic close to home.

Ray then took his actions a step further by advocating for this cause to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs right here in Washington, D.C. He was also appointed to the Veterans Service Board by three consecutive Georgia Governors: Governor Roy Barnes in 2001, Governor Sonny Perdue in 2008, and Governor Nathan Deal in 2015. He served three terms as the board chairman and is survived by his wife, Mary, three children, 10 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

As a veteran, public servant, and Bulloch County native for over 75 years, it is my hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting the effort to rename the VA clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, after a man who is truly deserving.

With the support of Georgia Senators and Representatives, as well as the Georgia Southern Student Veterans Association, and many others, I cannot think of a better or more worthy man to have his service to our Nation and his community honored at the top of the VA clinic in Statesboro, Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing my bill, H.R. 3946, to rename the Statesboro VA the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3946) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic''.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3946, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic.

This bill is sponsored by my friend and colleague, Congressman Rick Allen, and I am grateful to him for introducing this legislation in honor of an American hero.

Robert Ray Hendrix joined the Army National Guard in 1949. He was stationed in Europe during the Korean conflict and served honorably until his retirement in 1992. In his 42 years of service, Mr. Hendrix rose to the rank of command sergeant major.

Mr. Hendrix also served in the American Legion for over 60 years, holding many State and national posts. Along with many accomplishments for veterans, Mr. Hendrix was instrumental in obtaining 5,000 signatures throughout the community to demonstrate the need for a VA clinic in Statesboro. Four years later, Mr. Hendrix's effort paid off when a VA officially dedicated a new clinic.

In addition to his work with the American Legion, Mr. Hendrix served in a Governor-appointed position to the State Veterans Board through the VA Service Board for three 7-year terms. Mr. Hendrix's outstanding service to his country and his fellow veterans shall serve as an inspiration to us all, and it is my great pleasure to support H.R. 3946, which would name that very clinic he worked so hard to establish, the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic.

This legislation satisfies all the committee's naming criteria and is cosponsored by the entire Georgia congressional delegation and supported by many VSOs. Once again, I thank Congressman Rick Allen for introducing this bill, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3946.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Sergeant Major Walz for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to add my voice to those supporting H.R. 3946, which does name the VA community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic.

I would like to say at this time, I often hear from people, and they talk about things going on here. And they say: Oh, yeah, they are naming another post office, or VA clinic.

That is right, we are. Today, we are naming a VA clinic after someone who gave their life serving this Nation, coming back doing the things that build our community, and I think, when people think is this just an exercise we go through, I would encourage, Mr. Speaker, for everyone, when they go by one of these buildings and they see a name on the side of it and wonder what it is after--we can now google those things pretty easy.

I will guarantee you, every time you google that name, you will come away amazed at what your fellow citizens did, what they gave to this country, and in this case, you heard it from the gentleman, about Ray Hendrix's service, 42 years in uniform, back in that, and I will guarantee you that Statesboro, Georgia, is a better place because of what Sergeant Major Ray Hendrix did.

So I don't think these are things to fill time. I think these are things that we honor what is right about the country. We honor people that put country first, and it is very obvious to me, having never met Ray Hendrix, or until this bill was brought forward, I sure wished I had known him, and I would have loved to have been in a unit where Sergeant Major Hendrix served because it is obvious that he cared. With that, I strongly support this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for taking the time to tell us about Sergeant Major Hendrix.

This is exactly the point I'm making: If you want to exemplify what this Nation is about, we are a Nation of people, we are a Nation of patriots; and when they rise above it, like Ray Hendrix did, I think it is appropriate. Of all of the things that we do on this floor, I make a case that these namings are a pretty important piece of what

we do. So I thank the gentleman for this, and encourage my colleagues to enthusiastically support this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Veterans' Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3946, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Isakson amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the title amendment at the desk be agreed to; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 3946) to name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the ``Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic'', with the Senate amendments thereto, and concur in the Senate amendments.