John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 593, which will rename the…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 593, which will rename the Department of Veterans Affairs, as you have heard, the community-based outpatient clinic in Hinesville as the John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor and privilege of representing the First Congressional District of Georgia. We have much to be proud of in the First Congressional District of Georgia. We have a strong military presence in our district. We are home to Hunter Army Airfield, to Kings Bay Naval Base, and to Fort Stewart. Fort Stewart is located in Hinesville, Georgia, in Liberty County. Whenever I travel to Fort Stewart, whenever I travel to Liberty County, I know that they know what they are talking about when they talk about military affairs. I submit to you that the community of Hinesville, Georgia, supports their military as much if not more than any community in America. However, I have to be quite honest with you. Last fall, I was called to a meeting with them and with some community leaders in Liberty County and they told me they wanted to name a VA clinic in Hinesville after four veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam war. When I went into that meeting, I was skeptical. We can't do this. We can't rename a VA clinic anyway, much less after four individuals.…”