Congressman Darin LaHood Introduces Legislation Honoring Fallen Army Ranger and Bloomington Native Sergeant Joshua Rodgers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Darin LaHood introduced H.R. 4326 to the U.S. House of Representatives, which would officially rename the U.S. Post Office located at 1211 Towanda Avenue in Bloomington, Illinois after fallen U.S. Army Ranger and Bloomington native Sergeant Joshua Rodgers. On April 27, 2017, U.S. Army Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers was killed in action supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan. The Bloomington native was 22 years old.

“The naming of the Bloomington post office is a small gesture to show our appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice Sergeant Rodgers made fighting for our freedoms, but it is my honor to introduce this piece of legislation in his memory,” stated Rep. Darin LaHood. “There is no way to truly thank Sergeant Rodgers, but it is my hope that this building will serve to honor him and remind all of us of the price of our freedom.”

“Sergeant Joshua Rodgers is a hometown hero and we want to make sure that his name and the sacrifice he made for us is remembered for generations to come,” said Congressman Rodney Davis (IL-13). “It’s because of men and women like Sergeant Rodgers who risk their lives in service to our country that we remain free. It’s a debt owed to him and his family that we will never be able to repay.”

“With my time in the Army, I have had the privilege to work with many Army Rangers. Their attitude is contagious and you want to feed off of it. They are another unique breed that the United States Military counts on and they never disappoint. Sergeant Rodgers epitomized the motto, ‘Rangers Lead the Way,’” stated Ret. Army Sergeant Paul Butler, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne. “It is such a shame that we had to lose Sergeant Rodgers from our community. As a Bloomington resident, when I look up at his name on the Post Office, I will be proud of what he and every other military member has done for our country and I hope the community will as well.”

If signed into law, the bill would formally rename the post office the “Sgt. Josh Rodgers Post Office” in recognition of his heroism and service to our nation. This bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by the entire Illinois delegation, has been referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and will continue through the legislative process.