[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1187 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1187

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
  raising public awareness of and helping to prevent attacks against 
Federal employees while engaged in or on account of the performance of 
                            official duties.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2010

   Mr. Moran of Virginia (for himself, Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Connolly of 
Virginia, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, 
 Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Norton, Mr. Price of 
    North Carolina, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Wittman) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                   on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
  raising public awareness of and helping to prevent attacks against 
Federal employees while engaged in or on account of the performance of 
                            official duties.

Whereas title 18 of the United States Code makes it a crime to forcibly assault, 
        resist, intimidate, or interfere with a Federal employee while engaged 
        in or on account of the performance of official duties, or to kill or 
        attempt to kill any such employee while so engaged or on such account;
Whereas the suicide attack on the Internal Revenue Service office in Austin, 
        Texas on February 18, 2010, that claimed the life of two-tour Vietnam 
        veteran Vernon Hunter follows the more than 1,200 attacks which were 
        made on Internal Revenue Service employees between 2001 and 2008, 
        attacks which have resulted in at least 197 convictions;
Whereas the shooting attack on Thursday, March 4, 2010, by John Patrick Bedell 
        that injured two Pentagon guards was the fourth attack or security scare 
        on a Federal building in 2010;
Whereas the Department of Justice filed 313 cases in fiscal year 2006, 326 cases 
        in fiscal year 2007, 303 cases in fiscal year 2008, and 277 cases in 
        fiscal year 2009 (as of August of such fiscal year), relating to attacks 
        against Federal employees;
Whereas more than 2,000,000 civilian employees in the Federal workforce provide 
        many forms of dedicated service to the United States and its people, 
        such as fighting crime and fire, supporting our military, protecting 
        health, providing essential human services, preserving the environment 
        and maintaining our national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests, 
        securing our borders, responding with assistance in times of natural 
        disaster, regulating commerce, defending our freedom, and advancing our 
        country's interests around the world, all of which contribute to the 
        greatness and prosperity of the Nation;
Whereas Federal employees are entitled to expect a reasonable degree of personal 
        safety and security while carrying out their official duties; and
Whereas inflammatory anti-Government rhetoric may contribute to attacks against 
        institutions and employees of the Federal Government: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses the Nation's appreciation for the outstanding 
        contributions made by Federal employees to the United States;
            (2) supports the goal of protecting the safety and security 
        of our Federal employees; and
            (3) urges that the Government seek ways to improve the 
        safety and security of our Federal employees.
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