[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      JEREMY L. RIDLEN POST OFFICE

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3579) to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 200 East Main Street in Maroa, 
Illinois, as the ``Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3579

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. JEREMY L. RIDLEN POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 200 East Main Street in Maroa, Illinois, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Jeremy L. Ridlen Post 
     Office''.
       (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 ``Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. 
LaTurner) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3579 to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 200 East Main 
Street in Maroa, Illinois, as the Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office.
  Army National Guard Specialist Jeremy L. Ridlen was born in Maroa, 
Illinois, where he attended Maroa-Forsyth High School with his twin 
brother, Jason. Jeremy and Jason were students at Illinois State 
University, where they joined the National Guard and were assigned to 
the 1544th Transportation Company. In 2003, the National Guard 
activated their unit and deployed them to Fallujah, Iraq, where Jeremy 
served as postal clerk.
  On May 23, 2004, Jeremy was killed after a truck rigged with 
explosives detonated next to his convoy. He was 23 years old.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring Jeremy 
L. Ridlen, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, by naming 
the post office at 200 East Main Street after him, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would name a post 
office in Illinois after Army National Guard Specialist Jeremy Ridlen.
  Ridlen was born and raised in Maroa, Illinois. Jeremy and twin 
brother, Jason, went on to attend Illinois State University, and both 
signed up for the National Guard.
  They were assigned to the 1544 Transportation Company, which was 
activated in 2003 and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. Jeremy served as the 
postal clerk there.
  Sadly, on May 23, 2004, Jeremy was killed in an ambush after a truck 
exploded next to his convoy.
  Specialist Ridlen was an outstanding patriot, and I encourage my 
colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Rodney Davis).
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for 
giving us the opportunity to honor a hero, Jeremy Ridlen.
  I rise in support of this bill today to designate the United States 
Postal Service facility in Maroa, Illinois, as the Jeremy L. Ridlen 
Post Office.
  Army Specialist Jeremy Ridlen was born and raised in Maroa, Illinois, 
where he attended Maroa-Forsyth High School with his twin brother, 
Jason.
  Jeremy and Jason, like my twin boys, were inseparable. They were 
active in their church, played on its softball team, and were included 
in its weekly prayer list after they both deployed.
  Jeremy and Jason attended Illinois State University and joined the 
National Guard shortly thereafter. Their unit, the 1544 Transportation 
Company, was deployed to Iraq in 2003. On May 23, 2004, after a truck 
rigged with an IED detonated next to his convoy, small arms fire killed 
Jeremy in the ambush.
  Designating this post office in honor of Jeremy will serve as a 
testament to his bravery and a reminder of all those who laid down 
their life for the United States of America.
  Jeremy Ridlen died serving his country, and for that, he is a hero to 
all of us. He put his country above all else, and we thank him for his 
service and are thinking of his entire family back in Illinois today.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from 
Illinois that as a fellow parent of twins--mine are 22--I send deepest 
condolences. Although I know his passing was back in 2004, I know the 
pain is fresh for his family. It is an honor to be able to join my 
colleagues in helping to name this post office.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3579, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3579.
  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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