WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last night, the U.S. Senate passed legislation introduced by Congressman Darin LaHood to rename the Chillicothe, Illinois U.S. post office in honor of U.S. Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens. The bill, H.R. 3109, is co-sponsored by the entire Illinois congressional delegation. The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“I applaud my Senate colleagues for their support of our local hero, Senior Chief Ryan Owens. We will never be able to repay Ryan for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country and the values we hold dear, but today’s Senate vote moves us one step closer towards honoring his legacy in his hometown of Chillicothe,” stated LaHood. “We now await President Trump’s signature to officially sign our bill into law recognizing this true American hero.”
Background:
This bill would formally rename the post office the “Sr. Chief Ryan Owens Post Office Building” in recognition of Ryan’s heroism and service to our nation. This bipartisan legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by unanimous approval on November 15, 2017. Congressman LaHood was pleased to consult with the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Navy, Central Illinois Gold Star Families, and Owens’s widow on this effort.
Owens died on January 29, 2017, at the age of 36, from wounds received during a raid conducted in Yemen with the famed SEAL Team Six. He is survived by his wife, Carryn, their three children, and his father William. His mother, Patricia, preceded him in death in 2013. Owens was born and raised in central Illinois and graduated from Illinois Valley Central (IVC) High School in Chillicothe.
