[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.

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