Delgado's Second Bill Signed into Law, will Rename Pine Plains Post Office After Fallen Soldier

Statement

Representative Antonio Delgado's (NY-19) legislation to rename the Pine Plains Post Office in honor of Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) Shannon M. Kent was signed into law by President Trump, his second bill enacted this year. SCPO Kent, a Dutchess County native, was killed in Syria by a suicide bombing during her fifth combat tour in the Middle East this past January.

"Our nation is forever grateful to Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon M. Kent who devoted her life to protecting our country and defending our democracy. I am proud to see my bipartisan legislation to honor her life by renaming the Pine Plains Post Office the Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon M. Kent Post Office become law." Rep. Delgado said, "the courage and devotion to our nation shown by Senior Chief Petty Officer Kent should continue to serve as an inspiration to us all, and I am elated Dutchess County will be home to this permanent fixture honoring her life, service, and legacy."

Rep. Delgado introduced this bipartisan bill in April along with Reps. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), and Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) to rename the Pine Plains Post Office, located at 7722 South Main Street, the "Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon M. Kent Post Office." This post office is located in SCPO Kent's hometown. Rep. Delgado's bipartisan bill passed the House on October 16, and the Senate on November 22.

In 2016, SCPO Kent survived thyroid cancer, and in 2018 commissioned for a special officer program to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. She was later disqualified, having not met the required medical standards established under Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 6130.03 to commission as an officer in the armed forces. She appealed, and was denied a waiver by the Navy, and in November 2018 deployed to Syria. Prior to her death, SCPO Kent worked tirelessly to change the Navy and DOD policies which resulted in her fifth deployment. Due to her work, the Navy has made positive changes to its waiver policy, and named these changes after SCPO Kent.

SCPO Kent, who passed at the age of 35, was a wife and a mother of two beautiful children. Following her passing, Rep. Delgado honored SCPO Kent's life on the floor of the House of Representatives and has spearheaded efforts in Congress to change the DOD regulation that forced SCPO Kent to deploy to Syria rather than pursue academic study. SCPO Kent was the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Joint Service Achievement Medal.

This is Congressman Delgado's second bill to be signed into law. In August, the President signed Rep. Delgado's bipartisan Family Farmer Relief Act into law.

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