Senate Passes Bill to Rename Galesburg Post Office in Honor of Senior Airman Daniel Miller
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced to rename the U.S. Post Office facility at 476 East Main Street in Galesburg, Illinois, as the Senior Airman Daniel Miller Post Office Building. Senior Airman Miller was killed in action protecting our nation on January 7, 2007, by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while performing duties in Al-Mahmudiyah, Iraq. U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, which passed last week. The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“Senior Airman Daniel Miller gave his life defending this great nation. I’m glad the Senate unanimously agreed to honor the extraordinary sacrifice and service of this native son of Galesburg by renaming the post office in his home town. I look forward to this bill being signed into law soon,” said Durbin.
“Renaming the Galesburg Post Office as the Senior Airman Daniel Miller Post Office Building is an honor for a hometown hero who gave his life to protect and serve our nation,” said Duckworth. “By unanimously passing this legislation, we are recognizing Senior Airman Miller’s sacrifice and I look forward to the day this bill is signed into law.”
“We may never be able to repay Senior Airman Miller for his service, but it is our duty to remember his sacrifice,” Bustos said. “I’m proud to see this legislation is on its way to becoming law and I hope this commemoration will serve as a place for the Galesburg community to honor their hometown hero.”
Prior to joining the Air Force, Senior Airman Miller lived in Galesburg, Illinois, and attended the Rio, Oneida, Wataga, Victoria and Altona (ROWVA) High School in Oneida, Illinois, where he played football and graduated in 2001. Senior Airman Miller was the eldest of six children, including a younger brother who served a yearlong tour in Iraq with the National Guard. ROWVA High School’s Principal described him as, “always happy, always smiling… it didn’t matter who you were, Dan liked you. He was that kind of kid. He cared about everyone around him.” Senior Airman Miller joined the United States Air Force in 2004 and went on to become an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Airman. He was deployed from the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Flight in Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which is responsible for defusing military and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and working with chemical and biological weapons. At the age of 24, Senior Airman Miller was killed in Al-Mahmudiyah, Iraq on January 7, 2007, while attempting to defuse a car bomb.
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