Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Holds Ceremony to Officially Rename Houston Post Office in Honor of Spc. Vanessa Guillen

Houston, TX –Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) held a ceremony at the post office on Galveston Road in Houston to honor Spc. Vanessa Guillen. In 2020, U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén was brutally murdered by another soldier. Her tragic passing struck grief into our community and ignited a national movement across the nation that demanded military justice reform.

“Today, we dedicate this moment to the life and legacy of SPC. Vanessa Guillen, as we immortalize her courage through the renaming of this post office. SPC. Vanessa Guillén transforms from a local hero into an eternal presence in our daily lives," said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. "Vanessa was a strong and ambitious young woman who was taken from her family and Houston much too soon. However, because of her, countless veterans and service members can live without fear. I hope this post office renaming brings some comfort to Vanessa's family and loved ones."

In January 2023, the 5302 Galveston Road in Houston, Texas, was signed into law as the Vanessa Guillén Post Office Building by President Joe Biden. This marks as the first post office to be named after Latina in the Houston area. This post office is only a few blocks away from César Chávez High School – which is where she graduated from high school before enlisting in the United States Army.

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Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional District. She is the Vice Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, the Vice Chair on Housing and Transportation of the House Democratic Caucus Poverty Task Force, and a member of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government