September 14, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4357 FLETCHER, for this legislation to honor 2009 and one year later he was depu- the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4672) to a dedicated public servant and trail- tized and graduated to the rank of pa- designate the facility of the United blazer for the rights of religious mi- trol deputy. States Postal Service located at 21701 norities. He was assigned to district 5 which Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of covers much of northwest Harris Coun- California, as the ‘‘Petty Officer 2nd my time. ty, an area he would patrol for the rest Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson Post Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield my- of his career. Through his years of Office Building’’. self such time as I may consume. service, he improved law enforcement’s The Clerk read the title of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. cultural understanding of Sikhs and The text of the bill is as follows: 5317 which would name a post office in was an outstanding example of the H.R. 4672 my home State of Texas after Deputy tireless contributions that religious Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal. minorities and marginalized commu- resentatives of the United States of America in Dhaliwal joined the Harris County nities make to our country. Congress assembled, Sheriff’s Office out of a sense of duty Deputy Dhaliwal was also known to SECTION 1. PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS (SEAL) and a desire to build a bridge between have a giving heart, coordinating relief MATTHEW G. AXELSON POST OFFICE efforts after Hurricane Harvey and BUILDING. the department and the Houston area (a) DESIGNATION.—The facility of the Sikh community. He was also one of traveling to Puerto Rico after Hurri- cane Maria to help a colleague’s rel- United States Postal Service located at 21701 the first observant Sikhs in Texas to Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, Cali- receive a policy accommodation allow- atives. fornia, shall be known and designated as the He volunteered countless hours for ing him to wear the turban and beard ‘‘Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Sikh communities across the Nation associated with the Sikh religion dur- Axelson Post Office Building’’. serving as the director of homeland se- ing his service as a police officer. (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, curity for United Sikhs, helping to ad- map, regulation, document, paper, or other After being promoted to the rank of vise Sikh communities on dealing with record of the United States to the facility re- patrol deputy, he was assigned to potential hate crime threats, and advo- ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to northwest Harris County. be a reference to the ‘‘Petty Officer 2nd Class In September of 2019, Dhaliwal was cating for their religious rights. Deputy Dhaliwal is survived by his (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson Post Office shot and killed from behind during a Building’’. wife and three young children. He rep- routine traffic stop leaving behind a resented the very best of our commu- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- wife and three daughters. nity. He worked for equality, connec- ant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to tion, and community through his life New York (Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY) support this legislation honoring a of service to others. The senseless slay- and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. local law enforcement hero, and I re- ing of Deputy Dhaliwal is a solemn re- CLOUD) each will control 20 minutes. serve the balance of my time. minder of the risks assumed by police The Chair recognizes the gentle- Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New officers daily in serving and protecting woman from New York. York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as our communities. GENERAL LEAVE she may consume to the distinguished Renaming this post office facility in Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New gentlewoman from the great State of his honor will serve as a permanent re- York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous Texas (Mrs. FLETCHER). I congratulate minder of Deputy Dhaliwal’s commit- consent that all Members may have 5 my friend on this bill. ment to and sacrifice for the commu- legislative days in which to revise and Mrs. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I nity that he lived in and served. It will extend their remarks and include ex- thank Chairwoman MALONEY for all of show that we stand in solidarity with traneous material. her efforts to bring this important bill the people of Houston, of Harris Coun- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there to the floor of this House. ty, and the Sikh community across the objection to the request of the gentle- Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor country as they celebrate the life and woman from New York? the life and legacy of Deputy Sandeep mourn of loss of this remarkable and There was no objection. Singh Dhaliwal. He was my con- selfless hero. Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New stituent, and he was killed in the line Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such of duty nearly a year ago today on Sep- MALONEY for her support of this impor- time as I may consume. tember 27, 2019. tant bill, I thank my colleagues in Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my As we reach this sad anniversary for Texas for joining me unanimously in colleagues in consideration of H.R. 4672 our community, I am grateful that this bringing it forward as cosponsors, and I to designate the facility of the U.S. bill to pay tribute to Deputy urge my colleagues to vote ‘‘yes’’ in Postal Service located at 21701 Stevens Dhaliwal’s lasting impact on our com- favor of the bill. Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, Cali- munity is on the floor of the House Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fornia, as the Petty Officer 2nd Class today. This legislation will designate colleagues to support this bill, and I (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson Post Of- the postal facility on Addicks Howell yield back the balance of my time. fice Building. Road in Texas’ Seventh Congressional Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New Petty Officer Axelson was born June District as the Deputy Sandeep Singh York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 25, 1976, in Cupertino, California. He H.R. 5317, and I yield back the balance Dhaliwal Post Office Building. was raised locally and graduated from Deputy Dhaliwal was widely regarded of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Monta Vista High School in 1994. as a role model for Americans of all Petty Officer Axelson attended Cali- question is on the motion offered by faiths wishing to serve their commu- the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. fornia State University at Chico and nities. He was the first observant Sikh graduated with a degree in political CAROLYN B. MALONEY) that the House to serve in the Harris County Sheriff’s suspend the rules and pass the bill, science. He joined the Navy in 2000 and Office, and he was also one of the first H.R. 5317. went on to earn a position as a member officers in Texas to receive a policy ac- The question was taken; and (two- of its elite special warfare team, the commodation to practice his religion thirds being in the affirmative) the SEALs. while serving as a police officer. rules were suspended and the bill was Only a few short months after he was As my colleagues have noted, he was passed. deployed to Afghanistan, Petty Officer born in Punjab, India, but his parents A motion to reconsider was laid on Axelson and two other members of his soon decided to emigrate to Houston the table. unit were ambushed and killed by where Mr. Dhaliwal grew deep roots. f enemy forces in June of 2005. The sur- He did have a successful business, but viving member of his team would go on seeking to build a bridge between law PETTY OFFICER 2ND CLASS (SEAL) to write the book ‘‘Lone Survivor’’ enforcement and the Sikh community MATTHEW G. AXELSON POST OF- that depicts the courageous actions of and the greater Houston community, FICE BUILDING the four SEALs on that day. he joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New Petty Officer Axelson was post- Office, first as a detention officer in York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend humously awarded the Navy Cross, the VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:49 Sep 15, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K14SE7.029 H14SEPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE H4358 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 14, 2020 second highest military award for valor CLARA LUPER POST OFFICE Her initiative helped inspire the 1961 in the United States. Naming a post of- BUILDING Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-in at fice in his honor will serve as a tribute Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New the Woolworth’s lunch counter, which to a true American hero taken from us York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend fueled momentum within the civil far too soon. the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5597) to rights movement. I would like to thank Representative designate the facility of the United Ms. Luper continued her fight for KHANNA, a distinguished member of the States Postal Service located at 305 freedom. She was arrested 26 times, in- Committee on Oversight and Reform, Northwest 5th Street in Oklahoma tegrated the history department at the for this legislation to honor this Amer- City, Oklahoma, as the ‘‘Clara Luper University of Oklahoma by becoming ican hero.