[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 158 (Monday, September 14, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4356-H4357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPUTY SANDEEP SINGH DHALIWAL POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5317) to designate the facility of
the United States Postal Service located at 315 Addicks Howell Road in
Houston, Texas, as the ``Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office
Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5317
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEPUTY SANDEEP SINGH DHALIWAL POST OFFICE
BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 315 Addicks Howell Road in Houston, Texas,
shall be known and designated as the ``Deputy Sandeep Singh
Dhaliwal Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post
Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Cloud) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
General Leave
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise
and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this
measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of
H.R. 5317, to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 315 Addicks Howell Road in Houston, Texas, as the
Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office Building.
Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was born in Punjab, India, before his parents
decided to emigrate to Houston, Texas.
Before joining the Harris County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Dhaliwal
owned a successful trucking business.
It was his sense of duty and a desire to build a bridge between the
department and the Houston area Sikh community that compelled him to
join the Sheriff's office.
He joined the force as a detention officer in 2009 and was later
deputized and graduated to the rank of patrol deputy. He was assigned
to northwest Harris County where he would stay for the rest of his
career.
Deputy Dhaliwal was the first observant Sikh to serve in the Harris
County Sheriff's Office and was one of the first observant Sikhs in
Texas to receive an accommodation to observe his religion while serving
as a police officer.
He served with distinction and was a shining example of the important
contributions that religious minorities make to our country.
Deputy Dhaliwal also spent countless hours volunteering for Sikh
communities across the Nation.
Tragically, he was shot and killed while conducting a routine traffic
stop. He was only 42 years old and is survived by his wife and three
children.
Naming a post office in his honor is a fitting tribute to a man who
served selflessly, made the ultimate sacrifice for his community, and
left this country a better place.
I would like to thank the honorable Member from Texas, Representative
[[Page H4357]]
Fletcher, for this legislation to honor a dedicated public servant and
trailblazer for the rights of religious minorities.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5317 which would name a post
office in my home State of Texas after Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal joined the Harris County Sheriff's Office out of a sense of
duty and a desire to build a bridge between the department and the
Houston area Sikh community. He was also one of the first observant
Sikhs in Texas to receive a policy accommodation allowing him to wear
the turban and beard associated with the Sikh religion during his
service as a police officer.
After being promoted to the rank of patrol deputy, he was assigned to
northwest Harris County.
In September of 2019, Dhaliwal was shot and killed from behind during
a routine traffic stop leaving behind a wife and three daughters.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation
honoring a local law enforcement hero, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time
as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from the great
State of Texas (Mrs. Fletcher). I congratulate my friend on this bill.
Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Maloney for all of her
efforts to bring this important bill to the floor of this House.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Deputy
Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal. He was my constituent, and he was killed in the
line of duty nearly a year ago today on September 27, 2019.
As we reach this sad anniversary for our community, I am grateful
that this bill to pay tribute to Deputy Dhaliwal's lasting impact on
our community is on the floor of the House today. This legislation will
designate the postal facility on Addicks Howell Road in Texas' Seventh
Congressional District as the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office
Building.
Deputy Dhaliwal was widely regarded as a role model for Americans of
all faiths wishing to serve their communities. He was the first
observant Sikh to serve in the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and he
was also one of the first officers in Texas to receive a policy
accommodation to practice his religion while serving as a police
officer.
As my colleagues have noted, he was born in Punjab, India, but his
parents soon decided to emigrate to Houston where Mr. Dhaliwal grew
deep roots.
He did have a successful business, but seeking to build a bridge
between law enforcement and the Sikh community and the greater Houston
community, he joined the Harris County Sheriff's Office, first as a
detention officer in 2009 and one year later he was deputized and
graduated to the rank of patrol deputy.
He was assigned to district 5 which covers much of northwest Harris
County, an area he would patrol for the rest of his career. Through his
years of service, he improved law enforcement's cultural understanding
of Sikhs and was an outstanding example of the tireless contributions
that religious minorities and marginalized communities make to our
country.
Deputy Dhaliwal was also known to have a giving heart, coordinating
relief efforts after Hurricane Harvey and traveling to Puerto Rico
after Hurricane Maria to help a colleague's relatives.
He volunteered countless hours for Sikh communities across the Nation
serving as the director of homeland security for United Sikhs, helping
to advise Sikh communities on dealing with potential hate crime
threats, and advocating for their religious rights.
Deputy Dhaliwal is survived by his wife and three young children. He
represented the very best of our community. He worked for equality,
connection, and community through his life of service to others. The
senseless slaying of Deputy Dhaliwal is a solemn reminder of the risks
assumed by police officers daily in serving and protecting our
communities.
Renaming this post office facility in his honor will serve as a
permanent reminder of Deputy Dhaliwal's commitment to and sacrifice for
the community that he lived in and served. It will show that we stand
in solidarity with the people of Houston, of Harris County, and the
Sikh community across the country as they celebrate the life and mourn
of loss of this remarkable and selfless hero.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Maloney for her support of this
important bill, I thank my colleagues in Texas for joining me
unanimously in bringing it forward as cosponsors, and I urge my
colleagues to vote ``yes'' in favor of the bill.
Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of
H.R. 5317, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5317.
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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