U.S. Senate Passed Resolution to Rename Houston Post Office After Late Sikh Indian American Deputy

HI INDIA NEWS DESK
HOUSTON, TX- The U.S. Senate Dec. 3 unanimously passed a resolution that would rename a post office in Houston, Texas, after the late Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal.

The bill, H.R. 5317, provides that the post office located at 315 Addicks Howell Road in Houston will be named the “Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office” after the late Sikh Indian American police officer.

This follows the Sept. 14 passage of the resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it was originally introduced by Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX). The resolution now goes to President Trump’s desk to be signed.

On Oct. 28, 2019, a congressional resolution honoring him was created in consultation with the Sikh Coalition and introduced in the House.

The Sikh Coalition, which worked with Congresswoman Fletcher on the original resolution and encouraged its passage in the Senate by working with Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX), said in a press release that it applauds this bipartisan progress.

In 2015, Lt. Dhaliwal became the first Sikh Indian American in Texas to receive a policy accommodation to serve while wearing his articles of faith, including his turban and beard. He was the first Sikh police officer to serve in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and was a role model and a trailblazer for Sikh Americans and religious minorities who sought to serve in law enforcement.

On Sept. 27, 2019, Deputy Dhaliwal was killed in the line of duty.