[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 26, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2848-H2849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR 1996 NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS' 
                            MEMORIAL SERVICE

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 147) authorizing the use of the 
Capitol Grounds for the 15th annual National Peace Officers' Memorial 
Service.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 147

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL PEACE 
                   OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE.

       The National Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary 
     shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the fifteenth 
     annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, on the 
     Capitol grounds on May 15, 1996, or on such other date as the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro 
     tempore of the Senate may jointly designate, in order to 
     honor the 155 law enforcement officers who died in the line 
     of duty during 1995.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--The event authorized to be conducted on 
     the Capitol grounds under section 1 shall be free of 
     admission charge to the public and arranged not to interfere 
     with the needs of Congress, under conditions to be prescribed 
     by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The National Fraternal Order 
     of Police and its auxiliary shall assume full responsibility 
     for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities 
     associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       (a) Structures and Equipment.--Subject to the approval of 
     the Architect of the Capitol, the National Fraternal Order of 
     Police and its auxiliary are authorized to erect upon the 
     Capitol grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and 
     other related structures and equipment, as may be required 
     for the event authorized to be conducted on the Capitol 
     grounds under section 1.
       (b) Additional Arrangements.--The Architect of the Capitol 
     and the Capitol Police Board are authorized to make any such 
     additional arrangements as may be required to carry out the 
     event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] 
will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest].
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 147 would authorize the use 
of the Capitol Grounds for the 15th Annual Peace Officers' Memorial 
Service to be held on May 15, 1996. This year, as in past years, the 
U.S. Capitol Police will be the sponsoring law enforcement agency for 
this event. During the past year, 155 peace officers have lost their 
lives in the line of duty. This figure includes many of the dedicated 
Federal employees who lost their lives in the tragic bombing in 
Oklahoma City last April.
  This year, it is expected that over 2,000 friends and family members 
of those who lost their lives last year will attend this event, and 
15,000 peace officers will also participate.
  This is a worthwhile endeavor, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all to join me in supporting House Concurrent 
Resolution 147 which, as the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] 
has stated, will authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 
National Peace Officer's Memorial Service.
  On May 15 of this year the Capitol Police will host law enforcement 
officials from around the Nation who will gather here to honor their 
fallen police officers. I would like to take this time to commend our 
Capitol Police. Many times they go unnoticed, and perhaps it is the 
lack of those headlines we do not read that are, maybe, the greatest 
testament to our own Capitol Police. I am proud of the Capitol Police's 
hosting this event. We should all support it.
  In addition to the 155 officers killed in the line of duty in 1995, 
approximately, Mr. Speaker, 65,000 police officers are assaulted each 
year, with over 23,000 of our police officers sustaining injuries of 
some sort.

                              {time}  1415

  Everybody is tragically aware, as pointed out by the gentleman from 
Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest], of the unfortunate terrorist act in Oklahoma, 
but very few people realize that the target of those terrorists was our 
law enforcement personnel, as well as making a statement. It was a 
direct attack and assault on our law enforcement personnel.
  I think it is absolutely fitting and proper that we join here and we 
allow the use of the Capitol Grounds, by an extension of the authority 
of Congress that vests that right within us and power within us, to our 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service. I believe that that 
purpose is most fitting.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] for the 
way he has dispatched his duties on this bill and others.
  Mr. Speaker, with that, I have no further speakers, I urge an ``aye'' 
vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Traficant] for his work on this resolution, for his work on the 
subcommittee. We have a truly bipartisan subcommittee that endeavors to 
do the work of the Nation, no matter how corny that might sound.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my opening statement, there will be 
over 15,000 police officers attending this memorial service. It is in 
dedication to the quiet courage of those law enforcement officers that 
have dedicated their lives to this great country. In that endeavor we 
pass this resolution.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I join Mr. Traficant and Mr. Gilchrest in 
supporting use of the Capitol Grounds for the 15th anniversary of the 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service. May 15 is the day designated 
by President Kennedy as the day to honor all men and women who have 
dedicated and sacrificed their lives in order to protect our lives.
  I commend Mr. Traficant for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 
147, and for being a staunch supporter of this program. As we all know, 
the Capitol Plaza is used for the candlelight memorial service, which 
is the culmination of a series of events honoring peace officers who 
have been killed in the line of duty. The 1996 service will be hosted 
by the Capitol Hill Police Department.
  Tragically, during 1995, 155 law enforcement officers were killed 
while on duty. The average age of those officers was 37 years old and 
they had served the public for 9 years. Four of them were women. It is 
fitting and commendable that we support the efforts of the Capitol 
Police and the 675,000 law enforcement officials now serving in the 
United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support House Concurrent Resolution 147, and 
I urge my colleagues to join me.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Upton). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Gilchrest] that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 147.

[[Page H2849]]

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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