SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE SENATE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO NAME MIDDLETOWN POST OFFICE IN HONOR OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that legislation they introduced to rename a Middletown post office after Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman has passed the Senate. The post office is located at 40 Fulton Street, Middletown, New York. Schumer and Gillibrand introduced this legislation in February, and it passed the Senate last week.

“Congressman Gilman deserves to be honored for his relentless commitment to public service, from answering the call of duty during WWII to his long and storied career as a legislator in the New York State Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives and to his endless commitment to the Hudson Valley,” said Senator Schumer. “Congressman Gilman championed America’s greatest values in his advocacy for human rights and diplomacy. He is a true American hero, and naming the Middletown Post Office after him would be a fitting tribute to his service and highlight his legacy in an enduring way.”

“Congressman Gilman was a lifelong public servant who was committed to helping New Yorkers and people across the globe,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Throughout his distinguished 50 years of service, he championed diplomacy and advocated for human rights. This post office designation would help honor his memory in the community that he fought for and represented, and I am pleased that this bill is now one step closer to becoming law.” 

Mr. Benjamin Gilman was a Republican Congressman and World War II veteran from Middletown, New York. He served his fellow New Yorkers as an assistant attorney general from 1953 to 1955, and as a member in the New York State Assembly from 1967 until 1972.

He served in U.S. House of Representatives from 1972-2003. During his time in Congress he was a member of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee, and was a former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was a founder of the House Human Rights Caucus and worked behind the scenes to help free political prisoners from oppressive regimes.

In 2001, with his support, the U.S. Department of State created the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to help low-income students study abroad. In 2011, Gilman was awarded the Top Honor Prize, where he was recognized by the World Peace Prize Awarding Council for being a lifelong champion of human rights because of his work fighting world hunger, narcotic abuse, and trafficking.

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