[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4251-H4253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RAY HENDRIX VETERANS CLINIC
Mr. DUNN. 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''.
[[Page H4252]]
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3946
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NAME OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMUNITY-
BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC, STATESBORO, GEORGIA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs community-based
outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, shall after the
date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as
the ``Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic''. Any reference to such
clinic in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or
other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a
reference to the Ray Hendrix Veterans Clinic.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Dunn) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each
will control 20 minutes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
May 21, 2018, on page H4252, the following appeared: The SPEAKER
pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Dunn) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Dunn) each will
control 20 minutes.
The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro
tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Dunn) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each will
control 20 minutes.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. DUNN. 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. WALZ. 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. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Allen), the sponsor of this bill.
{time} 1530
Mr. ALLEN. 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. DUNN. 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. WALZ. 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
[[Page H4253]]
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. DUNN. 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 3946.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________