To designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lafayette, Louisiana, as the "Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic".

119th Congress Introduced by Troy Carter and 5 co-sponsors

The Lafayette VA CBOC will be renamed the Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic, with no changes to funding, operations, or governance.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Summary of HR 6963 (119th Congress)

Purpose

HR 6963 designates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) in Lafayette, Louisiana, as the “Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic.”

Key provisions

Section 1(a) Findings:

Establishes biographical context for Rodney C. Hamilton Sr., highlighting his:
Born in 1932 in Fort Worth, Texas; family moved to Lafayette in 1948.
Service in the Marine Corps starting at age 17, including combat service in the Korean War and a Purple Heart recipient.
Community involvement through the Marine Corps League, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Veteran's Action Coalition of Southwest Louisiana (which he helped found and chaired).
Public service as a Lafayette City official (1968–1972) as Trustee of Public Property.
Contributions to Lafayette, including leading efforts to secure and construct the Lafayette VA CBOC (which opened in 2016).
Recognition such as street naming (“Veterans Way, Honorary Rodney Hamilton”) in his honor.
Passed away on November 30, 2020, at age 88.

Section 1(b) Designation:

The Lafayette VA CBOC shall be known and designated as the “Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic” after the enactment date.

Section 1(c) Reference:

Any reference to the Lafayette VA CBOC in laws, regulations, maps, documents, or records should be treated as a reference to the Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic.

Affected entities and entities affected

The primary entity affected is the VA community-based outpatient clinic located in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The designation honors a local veteran and community leader, with no changes to the clinic’s operating authority, funding, or governance structures specified in the bill.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced in the House on January 7, 2026, by Rep. Higgins (LA) with several cosponsors.

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, then to the Subcommittee on Health.

Through the standard legislative process, the bill progressed via suspension of the rules:

Debated under suspension of the rules on July 15, 2026.
Passed/agreed to in the House by voice vote on July 15, 2026, after a brief debate.
The action history shows it moved to the Senate for consideration (not detailed here).

Practical impact

This is an honorary designation, commemorating Rodney C. Hamilton Sr., and does not specify changes in funding, staffing, or operations beyond the official name change of the Lafayette VA CBOC.

The designation may support local recognition of veterans’ contributions and could assist in community identity and commemorations surrounding the Lafayette CBOC.

Bottom line

HR 6963 designates the Lafayette VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic as the “Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic” in honor of Rodney C. Hamilton Sr., with the new name to be used in all official references and records. The bill commemorates his service and community leadership without creating new program authorities or funding streams.