Expressing Support for Recognizing ``National Police Week''
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 363) expressing support for recognizing ``National Police Week,'' as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 363
Whereas Federal, State, local, and Tribal police officers, sheriffs, and other law enforcement officers across the United States serve with valor, dignity, and integrity;
Whereas law enforcement officers are charged with--
(1) pursuing justice for all individuals; and
(2) performing the duties of a law enforcement officer with fidelity to the constitutional and civil rights of the public the officers serve;
Whereas law enforcement officers swear an oath to uphold the public trust even though, through the performance of the duties of a law enforcement officer, the officers may become targets for senseless acts of violence;
Whereas, in 1962, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 (36 U.S.C. 136) (referred to in this preamble as the ``Joint Resolution''), which authorizes the President to proclaim May 15 of every year as ``Peace Officers Memorial Day'' in honor of the Federal, State, and local officers who have been killed, disabled, or otherwise injured in the line of duty;
Whereas the Joint Resolution also authorizes the President to designate the week in which Peace Officers Memorial Day falls as ``National Police Week'';
Whereas the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, dedicated on October 15, 1991, is the national monument to honor those law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty; and
Whereas Peace Officers Memorial Day, 2023, honors the 556 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, including 224 officers killed in 2022, as well as 332 officers killed in previous years whose stories were recovered during 2022, including--
(1) Michael Lynn Gillis;
(2) Bradley S.H. Johnson;
(3) Walter Raymond Hall;
(4) Christopher Michael Vaughn;
(5) J'Mar Colin Abel;
(6) Michael Keith Morgan;
(7) Steven Scott Bobbitt;
(8) Mickey Jay Bowen;
(9) Kevin Len Pounders;
(10) Steven Ray Finley;
(11) Jeremiah Lynch;
(12) John T. Oaks;
(13) Marquis Dewon Moorer;
(14) John Graham;
(15) Walter Lewis Johnson;
(16) Darryl Wayne Fortner;
(17) Curtis Matthew Worland;
(18) Jesus Delaluz Lara III;
(19) Jeremy M.B. Wilkins;
(20) Phillip James Vavrinec, Jr.;
(21) Thomas Crawford Craig;
(22) Richard D.R. Lopez;
(23) Joshua Daniel Caudell;
(24) Jeffery Wayne Neel;
(25) Matthew Chandler Moore;
(26) Michael Ray Springer;
(27) James Roy Morgan;
(28) Paul Daniel Newell;
(29) Gary Lynn Bean;
(30) Ricky Allen Entmeier;
(31) Gary Ray Kelley;
(32) James S. Payne;
(33) Jeremiah James Story;
(34) William Joseph Shibley;
(35) Donald Mark Scoby;
(36) Richard Alan Bianchi, Jr.;
(37) Michael Domingo Paredes;
(38) Joseph Anthony Santana;
(39) Tyler Ryan Lenehan;
(40) Arthur Garcia Duron;
(41) Toamalama W.L. Scanlan;
(42) Nicholas Joseph Vella;
(43) Fernando Uriel Arroyos;
(44) Houston Ryan Tipping;
(45) Christopher M. Bracks;
(46) Andrew Lee Myers;
(47) Anthony Nathan Bautista;
(48) Armando Fernandez Meneses;
(49) Pedro Romo;
(50) Jamie John Arakawa;
(51) Timothy David Tellez;
(52) Amber Joy Leist;
(53) John Mercer Black;
(54) Morgan Wyatt Honeycutt;
(55) Michael Edward Wall;
(56) Robert Morrison;
(57) Mono Jim;
(58) Steven Michael Taylor;
(59) Isaiah A. Cordero;
(60) Jorge David Alvarado, Jr.;
(61) Donald Archibald Mason;
(62) Matthew Scott Gibbs;
(63) Charles Morgan;
(64) Dillon Micheal Vakoff;
(65) James Miller Campbell;
(66) Robert Eugene Sandoval;
(67) Peter A. Walsh;
(68) Frank Sam Potestio;
(69) Andrew Steven Peery;
(70) Marion Ernest Sanders;
(71) Alex A. Hamzy;
(72) Dustin William Demonte;
(73) Diane Gonzalez;
(74) Josip Peperni;
(75) William Kinney;
(76) Paul Matthew Patrick;
(77) Christopher E.J. Taylor;
(78) Adam James Webb;
(79) James Michael McWhorter;
(80) Jose Antonio Perez;
(81) Kyle Lee Patterson;
(82) James George Binnicker;
(83) Edward Louis Perez;
(84) Cesar Echaverry, Jr.;
(85) Ray Charles Hamilton;
(86) Shannon Mary Browning;
(87) Ramon Caban, Jr.;
(88) Clarence Guy Backherms;
(89) Michael Robert Hartwick;
(90) Christopher James Broadhead;
(91) Blane Lee Lane;
(92) Coby Brandon Seckinger;
(93) Christopher Nicholas Fariello;
(94) Walter C. Byrd;
(95) James Walter Johnson;
(96) Benjamin F. Wilder;
(97) Fred Foster Crawford;
(98) Jonathan Randall Koleski;
(99) Marshall Samual Ervin, Jr.;
(100) Terry Randall Arnold;
(101) Jean-Harold Louis Astree;
(102) Michael Scott Howard;
(103) Shaneca C. Napier;
(104) Addison Montanez Ford, Sr.;
(105) Patrick Donnell Dupree;
(106) Talmadge Leon Tucker, Jr.;
(107) Scott Ozburn Riner;
(108) Sean Marcus Free;
(109) Donald Richard Crooms;
(110) Clifford David Barber;
(111) Samuel Bentley Arnold;
(112) Hughey Anderson Keller;
(113) Henry Lee Nixon;
(114) William Gibson;
(115) Richard Lynn Tostenson;
(116) Walter Donald Jenkins, Jr.;
(117) Jamie Lynn Reynolds;
(118) Ellsworth Arthur Teed;
(119) Kenneth John Thurman, Sr.;
(120) Brian Romel Shields;
(121) Joseph Anthony Tripoli;
(122) Jose M. Huerta;
(123) James R. Svec;
(124) Joseph Robert Tinoco;
(125) Claude Earl Bowman;
(126) Brian Joseph Norton;
(127) Nicholas Joseph Kozak;
(128) Nicholas Donald Weist;
(129) John Venton Donaldson;
(130) Brian Lee Sember;
(131) Michael John Queeney;
(132) Noah Cleon Rainey;
(133) John Medley Whisman;
(134) Noah Jacob Shahnavaz;
(135) William James Cox;
(136) Douglas Warren Sanford;
(137) Gary Layne Weinke;
(138) Seara Brooke Burton;
(139) John Lawrence Grampovnik;
(140) John Karl Williams;
(141) Austin Wayne Richardson;
(142) Henry Edward Graves;
(143) James Lawrence Kent;
(144) Michael Earl German;
(145) David Leroy Ingle;
(146) Stacy Annette Murrow;
(147) Robert Price Craft;
(148) Sidnee Taylor Carter;
(149) Jody Wayne Cash;
(150) Gregory Lloyd Means;
(151) Oliver Junior Little;
(152) William Edward Petry;
(153) Dixon Allen Sasser;
(154) David Michael Ragle;
(155) Logan Kendal Medlock;
(156) Travis Dean Hurley;
(157) James Jerry Critchelow;
(158) Jacob Russell Chaffins;
(159) Ralph Harlow Frasure;
(160) Mark Allen Pike;
(161) Walter Lee Soileau, Jr.;
(162) Trey Steven Copeland;
(163) William Earl Collins, Jr.;
(164) Nicholas Wayne Tullier;
(165) Louis Harry Estay;
(166) Harold C. Hillman;
(167) Kenneth Charles Olander;
(168) Gregory John Bednarek;
(169) Glenn Raymond Hilliard;
(170) Frederick Joseph Gibney;
(171) Edward M. Day;
(172) Lawrence J. Nagle;
(173) Joseph Francis Eberlein;
(174) William F. Ahern;
(175) Peter Neary;
(176) John J. Fitzgerald;
(177) Charles Alexander Christie;
(178) Jacob G. Eyssi;
(179) Tamar Anoush Bucci;
(180) Frederick Louis Forni;
(181) Loi Hu Ha;
(182) Kevin Kelly Kokinis;
(183) Nichole Marie Shuff-Balint;
(184) Edgar A. Cranston;
(185) Freddie Lee Wilson;
(186) Lloyd Michael Todd;
(187) Loren Michael Courts;
(188) Raymond Darnell Hughes;
(189) Kahlil Jacquen Biddle;
(190) George Jason Kemp;
(191) Collin Brevik Birnie;
(192) Theodore Radlinski;
(193) George Arthur Ferris;
(194) Todd Lawrence Leveille;
(195) Anthony Wayne Martin;
(196) Franklin Pierce Boice;
(197) Amos Forbes;
(198) James Allan Lear;
(199) Ernest M. Robinson;
(200) John Joseph Wojciechowski;
(201) Lee Eric Smith;
(202) Jayme Lee Williams;
(203) Joseph Budde;
(204) Steven Michael Robin;
(205) Branden Paul Estorffe;
(206) Marzell Jerome Brooks;
(207) Myiesha Breanna Stewart;
(208) Lee Dan Vance, Jr.;
(209) Robert Edward Moak, Sr.;
(210) Kennis Winston Croom;
(211) Jeffrey Ray Turner;
(212) Johnny Raymond Patterson;
(213) David Paul Jones;
(214) Lane Anthony Burns;
(215) Donald Eugene Riffe, Jr.;
(216) Benjamin Lee Cooper;
(217) Jake Alexander Reed;
(218) Robert Boone Harris;
(219) Janell L. Visser;
(220) John David Luck;
(221) Daniel Francisco Vasquez;
(222) Justin Lee Smith;
(223) Troy Todd Bailey;
(224) Jeffrey Lee Hermanson;
(225) Truong Thanh Thai;
(226) Justin Michael Terry;
(227) Edward Aaron Contreras, Jr.;
(228) Douglas Michael King;
(229) Philip Carl Closi;
(230) Gerald Raymond Smith;
(231) Ray Edward East;
(232) Frank John Dustin;
(233) Henry McAllister;
(234) William Hurley;
(235) Robert M. Miller;
(236) Matthew Adam Vogel;
(237) Frank W. Drewes, Jr.;
(238) Harold Seaman;
(239) William Dietz;
(240) Julius H. Froh;
(241) Robert Joseph Cookson;
(242) Patrick McLaughlin;
(243) Joseph William Goertz;
(244) Joseph Charles Capriotti;
(245) Robert F. McCormack;
(246) Daniel Richard Krupa;
(247) Brian Keith McAdams, Sr.;
(248) Tolbert A. Furr;
(249) Matthew Scott Horton;
(250) David Formeza;
(251) Frederick Gerald Maley;
(252) Lawrence George Koren;
(253) Fred Douglas Beers III;
(254) Michael Adam Levison;
(255) Charles Bryan Vannatta;
(256) Aniceto Montoya;
(257) Ananias Green;
(258) Thomas Dean Vitale;
(259) Robert Eric Duran;
(260) Hector M. Nunez;
(261) Charles C. Vroom IV;
(262) Matthew A. Perlungher;
(263) Robert D. Negri, Jr.;
(264) David A. Mathura;
(265) Leonard J. Swanson;
(266) Wilbert D. Mora;
(267) Jason Rivera;
(268) Daniel Sanchez;
(269) Barbara Burnette;
(270) Terence P. Mulvey;
(271) Enrico Joseph Crisafi;
(272) Lawrence J. Prehn;
(273) Neil Eugene Porter;
(274) Michael John Reass;
(275) Hugh P. Bartlett, Jr.;
(276) Christopher Michael Tully;
(277) George C. Moreno;
(278) Michael S. Fuller;
(279) Cornelius Joseph Douglas;
(280) Steven L. Rodriguez;
(281) Hector M. Gonzalez, Jr.;
(282) Nicholas Purpero;
(283) Brian John Maleyl;
(284) Carl R. Ludwig;
(285) Mark Smith;
(286) Jennifer S. Abramowitz;
(287) Raphael Albert Lora;
(288) Edward R. Gorczynski, Jr.;
(289) Dennis John Howard;
(290) Gerald T. Brennan;
(291) Emanuele Alongi;
(292) Laurence Joseph Dougherty;
(293) Jewel Jenkins;
(294) Thomas L. Neal;
(295) Emilio Laboy;
(296) Patrick G. Monroe;
(297) Michael A. Houlahan;
(298) Pedro Garcia;
(299) Robert P. Young;
(300) Matthew S. von Seydewitz;
(301) James P. Bast;
(302) Frank Rosado;
(303) Vincent A. Demarino;
(304) Robert J. Reidy;
(305) Anthony L. Lombardo;
(306) John Minchilli;
(307) Dennis Patrick Murphy;
(308) Jeremiah J. Hunt;
(309) Raymond Harris;
(310) Thomas J. Fennessy;
(311) Andrea R.J. Rainer;
(312) Vincent Kevin Gough;
(313) Valerie Kay Jacobs;
(314) William Soto;
(315) Carmen M. Figueroa;
(316) Lawrence Edward Cabana;
(317) Paul C. Adam;
(318) Thomas J. Graham Jr.;
(319) Ivan M. Morales;
(320) F. Brent Chomyszak;
(321) Rodrick Charles Covington;
(322) Joseph James Gallagher;
(323) Scott P. Enser;
(324) James Gerard Sweeney;
(325) Michael R. O'Donnell;
(326) Joseph J. Mecca, Jr.;
(327) William John DeBlock;
(328) Wayne E. Bennett;
(329) Kristina Marie Zell;
(330) Melissa May France;
(331) Anthony Patrick Mazurkiewicz;
(332) Frank Daniel Gualdino;
(333) William J. Kearns;
(334) Ralph Chandler Kennerly;
(335) Oscar Yovani Bolanos-Anavisca, Jr.;
(336) William C. Callihan;
(337) Gregory Thomas Horne, Sr.;
(338) Matthew Eric Dow;
(339) Michael Walter Godwin;
(340) Helen Mae Smith;
(341) James Brent Montgomery;
(342) John Sumter Horton;
(343) Ned Patrick Byrd;
(344) Jose Angel DeLeon;
(345) Matthew Ryan Fishman;
(346) Reginald Kamal Smith;
(347) Kenneth Clarence Jones;
(348) Edward Lee Stewart;
(349) Dominic Mario Francis;
(350) Robert Craig Mills;
(351) Matthew Eugene Yates;
(352) Troy E. Sine;
(353) Clement Leroy Francis;
(354) Emerson A. Glotfelter;
(355) Vinton E. Harsh;
(356) Edward M. Hennessey;
(357) Lawrence Robert Graham;
(358) Sean Eric Vandenberg;
(359) John Dale Stayrook;
(360) Scott Russell Dawley;
(361) Herbert Minshull;
(362) Daniel Joseph Kin;
(363) Christopher James Nelson;
(364) Bart Lane Arnold;
(365) William Daniel Kelley;
(366) Frank Rodriguez, Jr.;
(367) Robert Blaine Swartz;
(368) James Arlie Hayes;
(369) Lewis Wayne Roller;
(370) William Riley Hargraves;
(371) Scott Brandon Owens;
(372) Richard Leslie Stephens;
(373) Brian John Gaunt;
(374) John Zoller;
(375) Rhonda Jean Russell;
(376) Gary R. Taccone;
(377) Kevin D. Redding;
(378) William David Lebo;
(379) Steven H. Armbruster;
(380) Charles G. Stipetich;
(381) Branden Tyler Sisca;
(382) Martin Francis Mack III;
(383) Deborah Simpson-Rosario;
(384) Vladimir Nikolaev Maleev;
(385) Erin Lawrence Tokley;
(386) Conklin Snow;
(387) Charles Aloysius Prendergast;
(388) Vasco Snow;
(389) William Linder;
(390) John Batts;
(391) Timothy Earl Werner;
(392) Richard Charles Howe;
(393) Brian L. Rowland;
(394) Scott Michael Patton;
(395) Stephen Charles Plum, Jr.;
(396) Chad Michael Beattie;
(397) George B. Knapp;
(398) Joshua P. Micun;
(399) Christopher M. Mortensen;
(400) Gino Caputo;
(401) Roy Andrew Barr, Jr.;
(402) Arthur Porcher Gaillard;
(403) Tyrell Antwan Owens-Riley;
(404) John Stewart;
(405) Austin Derek Aldridge;
(406) John William Berry III;
(407) Tommy Wayne Cudd;
(408) Braxton Michael Hofman;
(409) David Hamilton Henry;
(410) Daniel Todd Wallace;
(411) Frank Keith Rezac, Jr.;
(412) Jeffrey Herndon Carson;
(413) Dale Leroy Wyman;
(414) Matthew Stephen Locke;
(415) Kevin Jay Stolinsky;
(416) Christopher Allen Jenkins;
(417) Terry Wayne Stowe;
(418) Matthew Walker Blansett;
(419) Bradley Alan Miller;
(420) Corille Cortez Jones;
(421) Richard Lee Barnes;
(422) Robert Frank Clayton;
(423) Cecil Earl Nunley;
(424) Bridgette Lachelle Hunter;
(425) Harold Lee Russell II;
(426) Vince Arnold Mullins;
(427) Gregory Lynn Triplett;
(428) Mike Eladio Sanchez, Jr.;
(429) Raquel Virginia Saunders;
(430) Michael David Dunn;
(431) Anthony Dupree Martin;
(432) George Frederick;
(433) James A. Gaines;
(434) Matthew Adam Jimenez;
(435) Ronald Rudy Butler;
(436) Steven Robert Nothem II;
(437) Joseph Francis Quillen, Jr.;
(438) W.B. Hardeman;
(439) Carlos David Ortiz;
(440) John Jefferson Allen;
(441) Chris Allen Bardwell;
(442) Jack Lee Guthrie, Jr.;
(443) Tracy Joe Dotson;
(444) Christopher Dwayne Gibson;
(445) John Paul Mestas;
(446) Lonnie Pulvinar Sneed;
(447) Barbara Ann Majors Fenley;
(448) Schuyler Colfax Houston;
(449) Gerardo Morales;
(450) Julio Cesar Martinez;
(451) Robert Carlos Ynclan;
(452) Burke Nicholas Hannibal;
(453) Brandon Paul Tsai;
(454) Thomas Kristopher Hutchison;
(455) Charles Eudell Galloway, Jr.;
(456) Jennifer Lauren Chavis;
(457) Robert Adam Howard;
(458) Darren Almendarez;
(459) Ramon Gutierrez, Jr.;
(460) Manuel Phillipe De La Rosa;
(461) Dustin Kyle Speckels;
(462) Sean Sebastian Rios;
(463) Elijah Pevito;
(464) Laquintin J. Wilson;
(465) Franklin Joe;
(466) Lorin Marie Readmond;
(467) Ricky Neal Roberts;
(468) Wayne Butch Nowell, Jr;
(469) Sheli Yvonne Godbold;
(470) Manuel Christopher Widner;
(471) Robert Rivera;
(472) Earnest Frank Oldham;
(473) Jeffery M.D. Richardson;
(474) Jay Vincent Pena;
(475) David Glen Evans;
(476) Neil Pat Adams;
(477) Ramiro Perez III;
(478) Lorenzo Bustos;
(479) Billy Wayne Scheets;
(480) Kaitlyn Breanne Ritnour;
(481) Jade Nicole Drennan;
(482) Lonnie D. Johnson, Jr.;
(483) Kay Weldon Zeger, Jr.;
(484) John Baron Broadaway;
(485) Darrell Avery;
(486) Mark Allen Loecken;
(487) Ty'isha Rhoshun Harper;
(488) Kevin D. Dupree;
(489) Maria A. Garcia;
(490) Ruben Martinez, Sr.;
(491) Jerry Esparza;
(492) Anthony Carlos Salas;
(493) J. Adam Ashworth;
(494) Michael Dwayne Chandler;
(495) John Elwood Painter;
(496) Charles Wayne Catron;
(497) Caleb Daniel Ogilvie;
(498) Kenneth Paul Delano;
(499) John Joseph Donohue;
(500) Trey Marshall Sutton;
(501) David William Myers, Jr.;
(502) Jose Ramon Rivera;
(503) David Jonathon Nieves;
(504) John Gregory Blankenship;
(505) Thomas J. Wray;
(506) Jordan Taylor Jackson;
(507) Daniel Charles Rocha;
(508) Daryl Wayne Shuey;
(509) Dominique Bernardo Calata;
(510) Donald Lewis Sahota;
(511) Darryl Lynn Goodrich, Jr.;
(512) Max Lee Webb;
(513) Mitchell K. Robinson;
(514) John Agnew;
(515) Pete Pescatore;
(516) Claude Thomas Spangler;
(517) George Mitchell;
(518) William Johnson Tabor;
(519) Burman H. Hatfield;
(520) Hannibal Noah Blankenship;
(521) Samuel Payne;
(522) Thomas Edward Baker III;
(523) Daniel Lynn Creighbaum;
(524) Shawn Paul Hennessee;
(525) Yiu Tak Tao;
(526) Raymond John Gutierrez;
(527) Randall J. Harris;
(528) Jason T. Dumlao;
(529) Charles M. Davis;
(530) Eugene Smith;
(531) Jason Dorian Nathan;
(532) Jason Lynn Norton;
(533) Brian Scott McElroy;
(534) Raul Humberto Gonzalez, Jr.;
(535) Daniel Humberto Salazar;
(536) Michel Orlando Maceda;
(537) Jorge Alain Arias;
(538) Cody Alan Olafson;
(539) Bruce Robert Eckhoff;
(540) Brian Lee Vogel;
(541) Jeffrey Paliza Dela Cruz;
(542) Kenneth MacCallum;
(543) William Clark Hayes;
(544) David Eric Mize;
(545) Brian Wayne Turner;
(546) Rachel Elizabeth Vielmas;
(547) James Dale Holdman, Jr.;
(548) Peter Christopher Egan;
(549) Jose Elizondo Gomez;
(550) Michael Judson Riley;
(551) Augustine McIntyre;
(552) Henry Schubert;
(553) George W. LaPorte;
(554) Edward Patrick Savage;
(555) William M. Williams, Sr.; and
(556) Adrian Lopez, Sr.: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) acknowledges that police officers and other law enforcement personnel, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, should be remembered and honored;
(2) expresses unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States in the 8 pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities;
(3) recognizes the need to ensure that law enforcement officers have the equipment, training, and resources that are necessary in order to protect the health and safety of the officers while the officers protect the public;
(4) recognizes the law enforcement community for continual unseen acts of sacrifice and heroism; and
(5) expresses condolences and solemn appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. FITZGERALD. Res. 363, as amended, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Police Week. In doing so, we honor those officers who were killed in the line of duty.
The measure before us, H. Res. 363, recognizes countless law enforcement officers who serve their communities with valor, dignity, and integrity. It also explains the history behind Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week. It also lists the 556 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty or whose stories were recovered during 2022.
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to individually memorialize the Wisconsin police officers killed in the line of duty in 2023: Officer Peter Jerving, age 37, of the Milwaukee Police Department, died in the line of duty on February 7; Officer Emily Breidenbach, age 32, of the Chetek Police Department, died in the line of duty on April 8; Officer Hunter Scheel, age 23, of the Cameron Police Department, died in the line of duty on April 8; and Deputy Kaitie Leising, age 29, of the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office, died in the line of duty just on May 6.
These four brave individuals, and the 556 who went before them in 2022, represent the best of Wisconsin and this country, and we are grateful for their service and their heroic effort in a time of crisis.
National Police Week is a solemn reminder of the actions our law enforcement officers take each day to keep our communities safe.
I myself am the proud son of a law enforcement officer, as well as the proud father to a former law enforcement officer. I have seen their sacrifice firsthand: the long hours, the nights away from family, and the missed holidays. They do it over and over again without complaint because it is the job and because it keeps our community safe.
In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of ambush- style and targeted attacks on law enforcement officers. These senseless acts of violence are reprehensible, and they must stop.
Today, I hope that the House speaks with one voice in support of law enforcement and to the families of the officers who have fallen.
I thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) for introducing this important resolution of which I am a proud cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass this resolution to honor our fallen law enforcement officers and celebrate those still wearing the uniform.
Ms. JACKSON LEE.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier today, and I will say again, there are thousands of police officers and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of families who are here for the National Fraternal Order of Police, 42nd Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, and their families that are obviously in pain today.
This legislation is appropriately debated today to be able to express and recognize our support for National Police Week. In this little book are the names of the people from State after State who have fallen while on duty. In visiting and participating in the ceremony just a few hours ago, we met the families of those who had fallen in the line of duty: those officers who died of COVID, who were on the front lines protecting our communities; and the wife of Sean Rios, who was with the Houston Police Department who lost his life.
There were many, many others who we could personally meet or engage with. The Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Department, as well as members of other departments from Atlanta to Los Angeles were there. I am proud to say that Houston's Honor Guard was there, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 363, expressing support for recognizing National Police Week.
Today, there are more than 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers serving in the United States. Each day, in every corner of this country, these brave men and women risk their lives to keep the peace and keep us safe.
From responding to 911 calls, to investigating wrongdoing, to securing our public spaces, to being a friend to a lost 3-year-old, we call on our law enforcement officers to help us in times of need. During National Police Week, we recognize the sacrifices that officers make in serving their communities, and we thank them for their service.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the expression of support is neither Democrat or Republican, it is, as we stand here today, as Americans.
On this day, Peace Officers Memorial Day--and every day--we especially recognize the brave men and women who have perished in the line of duty. Each year, the National Law Enforcement Memorial must bear the names of more fallen heroes who have given their last full measure of devotion to the communities they swore to protect and serve. This year that number is 556.
This includes men and women--and increasingly women are joining the many law enforcement agencies locally across America. There are even women police chiefs and heads of police organizations. We applaud that reach, that welcoming, and that diversity of law enforcement officers, it makes a community better.
H. Res. 363 honors those who have lost their lives in service to their communities. This resolution includes my amendment, which clarifies that of the 556 law enforcement officers honored at Peace Officers Memorial Day this year, 224 were killed in the line of duty in 2022, 332 were killed in previous years but their stories had been lost until now.
While every officer named in this resolution deserves our respect and their families are owed both gratitude and sympathy, it is important to make clear that we have not allowed more than 500 officers to die on our watch for a second consecutive year.
The country is still reeling from the loss of 586 officers who died in the line of duty almost entirely because of COVID-19 in 2021. They never stopped. They never went home. They were in the line of duty, and they died. It is important to make that note so their story is not lost.
Although America's law enforcement officers continue to battle the effects of the pandemic, there has been a significant reduction in such deaths--due in part to reduced infection rates and the widespread availability and use of vaccinations.
Last year, of the 224 officers killed in the line of duty, 70 officers died after contracting the disease while carrying out their official duties. That is down from 405 officers in 2021--a decrease of 83 percent, for which we should be forever grateful and thankful-- despite COVID-19 remaining the number one cause of law enforcement death in 2022.
It is important to acknowledge every line of duty death. I met a family, a mother, whose son died of COVID after 37 years on the force. That is why I am glad we have come to know of the sacrifices made by the remaining 332 officers, some who gave their lives as far back as 1857. Their courageous stories have finally been brought to light.
Just as this resolution notes, law enforcement officers across the United States serve with valor, dignity, and integrity, and we must do the same--ensuring that we maintain the public trust and the integrity of this body--by legislating with specificity and transparency and making sure that each officer be honored in their loss and our loss of them.
It is equally important to fully and accurately understand the challenges that law enforcement officers are facing so that we make sure officers have the equipment, training, resources, and support they need to remain healthy and safe while they endeavor to keep us safe, as this resolution also recognizes. The law enforcement trust and integrity legislation that I introduced deals with equipment and training for law enforcement agencies from very small to the major cities.
If we truly care about the well-being of America's law enforcement officers, we must also work to end gun violence, particularly by keeping guns out of the hands of the wrong people, where they endanger officers and the communities they serve.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to take note that, unfortunately, today in New Mexico, three civilians are dead, and two cops were injured in a New Mexico shooting. The suspect opened fire in Farmington, New Mexico. Several were injured and there were three dead civilians. Officers shot and killed the gunman. Two officers were wounded, and they have been taken to a local hospital. They are, hopefully, listed in stable condition, and, hopefully, will survive and recover. It is so very important that we realize that there is more that we can do in honoring these officers. Tragic, another shooting.
We should also continue to hear from law enforcement about the other dangers they face and work to improve their ability to respond to new challenges while also identifying opportunities to simultaneously promote the safety of law enforcement officers and improve public safety.
Though we do not have legislation before us today that addresses the needs of all law enforcement, I will continue to support bills that provide for the equipment, training, resources, and how to interact through community-police relationships to strengthen ties between law enforcement and the communities they serve. We need to provide them with the ability for intervention to bring down gun violence in our communities and all kinds of violence, and particularly give them the tools to help with a mental health crisis, so that they are not the only ones that are called when a family has a mental health crisis.
Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Guest and the bipartisan coalition of Members, including Ranking Member Lofgren and Chairman Issa, for introducing this legislation.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time.
We will see many of our local police officials and officers this week. I acknowledge that the week of May 1 through May 5, the city of Houston and the Houston Police Department had our own annual Police Week. I acknowledge publicly our great concern as a community in honoring police.
We had, of course, the Police Week award ceremony that was held on May 2. We had a day of prayer that was held on May 3 in front of the police corporate headquarters where our Houston area clergy came together to reinforce the partnership between community and the police. We had the annual Police Week memorial service that was held on May 5 at a very important memorial in our city where candlelight and the placement of the wreath occurred, as well as the roll call and ``Taps.''
We are excited that the HPD honor guard will participate this week in the National Police Week ceremony.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article titled ``HPD to Host Police Week 2023 Events.'' [From City of Houston News, Apr. 28, 2023] HPD To Host Police Week 2023 Events
The Houston Police Department invites the community to observe and participate in National Police Week from this Monday (May 1), through Friday (May 5).
This annual event allows our city to celebrate the contributions police officers make to our communities and honor those officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
This year's activities for HPD include three important events:
The Police Week Awards Ceremony Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, May 2, at noon, at Hilcorp--Headquarters, 1111 Travis Street. The ceremony will feature the reading of the Mayor's Proclamation and award presentations to HPD employees. This event is by invitation only.
The Day of Prayer Ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3, at the Edward A. Thomas Building, 1200 Travis. Houston-area clergy members will gather to reinforce the partnership that exists between the community and the department. The public is invited to attend.
The Annual Police Week Memorial Service will be held on Friday (May 5), at 7 p.m., at the Houston Police Officers Memorial site at 2400 Memorial Drive to honor those officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. A procession of police officers will walk down Memorial Drive. A candlelight vigil will be held and include the placing of a wreath on the Houston Police Officers Memorial, a roll call of deceased officers, a 21-gun salute, the playing of TAPS and a fly-over by HPD helicopters. The public is invited to attend.
The HPD Honor Guard will participate in the National Police Week Ceremony in Washington, D.C., from May 11 through May 15.
Please join the Houston Police Department in commemorating the law enforcement officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, selflessly dedicating their lives in the line of duty while serving to protect the citizens of our great city.
All officers and citizens are encouraged to drive with their headlights on, in remembrance of the peace officers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Major Susan Cotter
Honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. NLEOMF candlelight vigil. HCSOTexas motors honored to assist with escorting the families of the fallen. Sgt Gutierrez, Deputies Almendarez & Howard gone but not forgotten. SheriffEd HCSO, HCSO ChiefLee, HCSOChiefTommyD Houston Police
``We honor the heroes and heal their families' heart''
ChiefTroyFinner, HPD commanders and officers joined thousands tonight to honor the memory of HPD Sgt. Sean Rios, one of 556 recent fallen officers at the NLEOMF Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. NationalPoliceWeek Troy Finner
I am proud to be in Washington D.C. during National Police Week to recognize & honor the first responders who paid the ultimate sacrifice including the 121 men & women from the houstonpolice.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. I acknowledge the words of our chief, Chief Troy Finner: ``We honor the heroes and heal their families' heart.''
Chief Troy Finner said that HPD commanders and officers joined thousands tonight with a candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C., to honor the memory of HPD Sergeant Sean Rios, one of 556 recent fallen officers, to recognize from the sheriff's department, Major Susan Cotter, honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and to honor their families, including Sergeant Gutierrez, Deputies Almendarez and Howard. Gone but not forgotten.
I honor those words, and I honor those leaders coming from my local community.
Whether they are State, local, Tribal, or Federal agents or officers of any of those agencies, we are grateful for the service of all law enforcement. We thank them and their families. Many families and children were there today at this memorial on the grounds of the United States Capitol.
I also wish to thank the many law enforcement officers who serve in my district working to keep Texans safe. I was proud to see the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff's Office participate in this year's observances here in Washington, D.C.
To the Capitol Police who protect the people, Members of Congress, our staff, and the work we do, I thank them for protecting our democracy.
I am proud to support and recognize law enforcement officers for the tremendous work they do each day and to uplift in special reverence the names of all of those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for us and the Nation.
May I offer these names to be held in high esteem and reverence who have passed away: Charles Eudell Galloway, Harris County Constable's Office. He died January 23, 2022. We honor Jennifer Lauren Chavis, Constable's Office, who died on April 2, 2022; Darren Almendarez, who died on March 31, 2022; and Ramon Gutierrez, who died on January 24, 2022; Harris County Sheriff Robert Adam Howard, who passed away in recent years. Ramon Gutierrez and Darren Almendarez, I mentioned. And, of course, Sean Sebastian Rios in the Houston Police Department died on November 9, 2020.
They are the names of those who have passed over the years.
Mr. Speaker, I support passage of this resolution without question, and I hope my colleagues will do the same. At this moment we are not different, we are the same, and we mourn for those who have fallen.
We pray for those officers in the hospital in New Mexico.
Protecting the American people, and we can do it together.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 363, Expressing support for recognizing ``National Police Week.''
Today there are more than 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers serving in the United States. Each day, in every corner of the country, these brave men and women risk their lives to keep the peace and keep us safe.
From responding to 911 calls, to investigating wrongdoing, to securing our public spaces, we call on our law enforcement officers to help us in times of need. During Police Week, we recognize the sacrifices that officers make in serving their communities, and we thank them for their service.
On this day, Peace Officers Memorial Day--and every day--we especially recognize the brave men and women who have perished in the line of duty.
And each year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial must bear the names of more fallen heroes who have given their last full measure of devotion to the communities they swore to protect and serve. This year that number is 556.
H. Res. 363 honors those who have lost their lives in service to their communities. This resolution includes my amendment, which clarifies that--of the 556 law enforcement officers honored on Peace Officers Memorial Day this year--224 officers were killed in the line of duty in 2022 and 332 officers were killed in previous years, but their stories had been lost. Until now.
While every officer named in this Resolution deserves our respect and their families are owed both gratitude and sympathies, it is important to make clear that we have not allowed more than 500 officers to die on our watch for a second consecutive year.
The country is still reeling from the loss of 586 officers who died in the line of duty almost entirely because of COVID-19 in 2021. Although America's law enforcement officers continue to battle the effects of the pandemic, there has been a significant reduction in such deaths--due in part to reduced infection rates and the widespread availability and use of vaccinations.
Last year, of the 224 officers killed in the line of duty, 70 officers died after contracting the disease while carrying out their official duties. That is down from 405 officers in 2021--a decrease of 83 percent for which we should all be thankful--despite COVID-19 remaining the number one cause of law enforcement death in 2022 .
It is important to acknowledge every line-of-duty death. That is why I am glad we have come to know of the sacrifices made by the remaining 332 officers--some who gave their lives as far back as 1857. Their courageous stories have finally been brought to light.
And just as this Resolution notes, law enforcement officers across the United States serve with valor, dignity, and integrity, we must do the same--ensuring that we maintain the public's trust in the integrity of this body--by legislating with specificity and transparency.
It is equally important to fully and accurately understand the challenges that law enforcement officers are facing so that we make sure officers have the equipment, training, resources, and support they need to remain healthy and safe while they endeavor to keep us safe--as this Resolution also recognizes.
If we truly care about the well-being of America's law enforcement, we must also work to end gun violence, particularly by keeping guns out of the wrong hands, where they endanger officers and the communities they serve.
We should also continue to hear from law enforcement about the other dangers they face, and work to improve their ability to respond to new challenges while also identifying opportunities to simultaneously promote the safety of law enforcement officers and improve public safety.
Though we do not have legislation before us today that addresses the needs of law enforcement, I will continue to support bills that provide the equipment, training, and resources that strengthen the ties between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
I commend Representative Guest and the bipartisan coalition of members, including Ranking Member Lofgren and Chairman Issa, for introducing this important resolution.
I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.
Whether they are state, local, tribal, or federal agents or officers--we are grateful for the service of all law enforcement. We thank them and their families.
I also wish to thank the many law enforcement officers who serve in my district, working to keep Texans safe. I was proud to see the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriffs Office participate in this year's observances here in Washington, D.C.
And to the Capitol Police, who protect the people, members of Congress, our staff, and the work we do--thank you for protecting our democracy.
I am proud to support and recognize law enforcement officers for the tremendous work they do each day, and to uplift in special reverence the names of all of those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for us and the nation, including:
Harris County Constable's Office:
Charles Eudell Galloway, Jr.
Jennifer Lauren Chavis
Harris County Sheriffs Office:
Robert Adam Howard
Darren Almendarez
Ramon Gutierrez, Jr.
Houston Police Department
Sean Sebastian Rios
I support passage of this resolution without question and hope my colleagues will do the same.
Mr. Speaker, at least 3 civilians dead and 2 cops are injured in a New Mexico shooting.
The suspect opened fire in Farmington, New Mexico. Several injured & 3 dead civilians. Officers shot & killed the gunman.
Two officers were wounded & have been taken to a local hospital where they are listed in stable condition.
Ms. JACKSON LEE.
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Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, reiterate my strong support for this bipartisan resolution celebrating National Police Week and law enforcement officers.
Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, with the recent largest-ever homicide spike in the history of our Nation, our first responders and law enforcement officers are facing unprecedented threats on the job at severe staff shortages as they are simultaneously met with radical calls by some to ``abolish the police.''
These men and women of extraordinary courage who take the risks, sweat the details, and face danger each and every day in order to ensure public safety not only deserve our gratitude and respect but also robust support from Congress to assist them in keeping our communities safe.
The brave officers we remember this Police Week--and always--remind us of the increasingly dangerous job our men and women in blue so courageously perform--some paying the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their community.
In the Fourth Congressional District of New Jersey, we specifically remember Officer Joseph William Goertz, of the Lakewood Township Police Department, Officer Joseph Charles Capriotti, of the Middletown Police Department, and Officer Matthew Scott Horton, of the Ocean County Sheriffs Office.
Mr. Speaker, those who commit violent acts against police and others, as well as those who destroy property and steal, should be prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law. As a lawmaker, I've written many laws to combat crime and assist victims and strongly opposed recent legislation in Congress to eviscerate ``qualified immunity'' for law enforcement. Qualified immunity--a judicially created legal doctrine-- shields government officials, including law enforcement, from personal liability lawsuits so long as their actions do not violate ``clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.''
According to the Congressional Research Service, ``The Supreme Court has observed that qualified immunity balances two important interests-- the need to hold public officials accountable when they exercise power irresponsibly and the need to shield officials from harassment, distraction and liability when they perform their duties reasonably.''
As recently as last Congress, Democrats introduced a bill that would end qualified immunity and states in pertinent part that ``It shall not be a defense or immunity in any action brought under this section against a local law enforcement officer. . .'' even if ``. . .the defendant was acting in good faith, or that the defendant believed, reasonably or otherwise, that his or her conduct was lawful at the time when the conduct was committed. . .''
If this section became law, it would likely result in a flood of legal actions--an engraved invitation to sue law enforcement officers.
Moreover, it will deter police from using force where the use of force is necessary to save life or protect property--diminishing the ability of police to provide public safety in dangerous situations. As an elected official, words are inadequate to convey the gratitude and respect that I and the vast majority in the community have for you and your families.
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Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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