To name the Department of Veterans Affairs multispecialty clinic in Marietta, Georgia, as the "Colonel Michael H. Boyce Department of Veterans Affairs Multispecialty Clinic".

Bill Number

H.R. 5362

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-25: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Last Updated

2026-07-08T13:56:01Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This legislation aims to honor Colonel Michael H. Boyce, a distinguished U.S. Marine Corps veteran and community leader, by officially naming the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) multispecialty clinic in Marietta, Georgia, after him. The bill recognizes his military service, post-retirement contributions to veterans' causes, and civic leadership in Cobb County.

Key Provisions

• Findings (Section 1): Congress outlines Colonel Boyce's biography, including:
• His birth in 1949, education at the University of Notre Dame, and commissioning as a Marine Corps officer in 1971.
• Extensive military assignments, including deployments to support operations like Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Provide Comfort, Restore Hope, Desert Thunder, and Desert Fox.
• Post-retirement community involvement in Marietta, Georgia, such as volunteering with charities (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, MUST Ministries, United Service Organizations), church activities, veterans' groups (e.g., American Legion, Marine Corps League), and serving as chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners (2016–2020).
• His efforts to establish Veterans Day as a paid holiday for county employees, create the first Veterans Service Office in Cobb County, and help open the first VA clinic there.
• His death in 2022 and surviving family members.
• Naming Designation (Section 2): The VA clinic at 1263 Cobb Parkway NW, Marietta, Georgia, is redesignated as the "Colonel Michael H. Boyce Department of Veterans Affairs Multispecialty Clinic" or the "Colonel Michael H. Boyce VA Clinic" effective upon enactment. All future references in U.S. laws, regulations, maps, documents, or records must use this name.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces no substantive policy changes but amends how the facility is officially identified in federal records.
• It updates nomenclature (official naming) without altering the clinic's operations, funding, or services, serving primarily as a ceremonial update to existing VA facility designations.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The Department of Veterans Affairs will need to update signage, websites, and administrative references, which involves minor administrative costs but no major operational shifts.
• On Citizens: Local veterans in Cobb County, Georgia, gain a named facility that symbolizes recognition of service, potentially improving community pride and access awareness. It may encourage greater veteran engagement with VA services.
• On International Relations: No impacts, as this is a domestic naming honoring U.S. military service.
• Overall, the effects are symbolic, fostering morale among veterans and military families without broader fiscal or programmatic changes.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Department of Veterans Affairs: Responsible for implementing the name change across its systems and facilities.
• Veterans and Military Community: Particularly those in Georgia, including members of groups like the American Legion and Marine Corps League, who benefit from the honor to a fellow veteran.
• Family of Colonel Boyce: His wife and children, who are directly recognized through the legacy naming.
• Local Community in Cobb County, Georgia: Residents, charities, and county officials who collaborated with Boyce on veterans' initiatives, seeing enhanced local pride.
• Bipartisan Congressional Sponsors: Representatives from Georgia (e.g., Loudermilk, McCormick, Johnson), indicating broad local support.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Straightforward naming authority under congressional power to designate federal facilities (no new authorities created). It ensures consistency in federal referencing, avoiding confusion in legal documents.
• Constitutional: No issues; aligns with Congress's enumerated powers over federal property and honoring military service (Article I, Section 8).
• Political: Demonstrates bipartisan unity among Georgia's congressional delegation on veterans' issues, potentially setting a precedent for similar honors. It highlights themes of veteran support without controversy, reinforcing political goodwill in a swing state like Georgia.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Loudermilk, Barry [R-GA-11]

Cosponsors (13)

Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8], Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12], Rep. Jack, Brian [R-GA-3], Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Greene, Marjorie Taylor [R-GA-14], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-25: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
• 2025-09-15: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• 2025-09-15: Introduced in House
• 2025-09-15: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• To name the Department of Veterans Affairs multispecialty clinic in Marietta, Georgia, as the "Colonel Michael H. Boyce Department of Veterans Affairs Multispecialty Clinic". — issued 2025-09-15 — PDF (4 pages)