[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 16 (Monday, February 10, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. Lott, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. 
        Hagel, Mr. Nickles, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Gramm, and Mr. Sessions):
  S. 294. A bill to amend chapter 51 of title 18, United States Code, 
to establish Federal penalties for the killing or attempted killing of 
a law enforcement officer of the District of Columbia, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.


  THE OFFICER BRIAN GIBSON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA POLICE PROTECTION ACT

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I appreciate this opportunity. I 
came to the floor because I want to introduce a bill today that I think 
is very important. It is the Officer Brian Gibson District of Columbia 
Police Protection Act. I send this bill to the desk and ask for its 
appropriate referral.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill will be received and appropriately 
referred.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Thank you, Madam President. I am introducing this 
bill today on behalf of myself, Senator Lott, Senator Thurmond and 
Senator Sessions, because I think that today when we are laying to rest 
a person who has given his life for the public protection, Officer 
Gibson, in the District of Columbia, who was brutally murdered in his 
squad car. A person went up to his car, stuck a gun in his face and 
shot it.
  If we cannot protect that man and make sure that he has every 
possible ounce of support that we can give to protect him, then I do 
not know what we can do to help the crime rate in the District.
  I hope very much that the Mayor of the District and Congresswoman 
Norton will be helpful on this. I have not yet been able to talk to 
them though I have put in a call. But the bottom line is we are trying 
to make the Capital City good for the people who live here but also 
good for any American or any foreign visitor, so they can come and see 
the most beautiful symbol of America possible. And that is not the case 
today.
  So we are asking for the death penalty for the murder of a police 
officer in the District of Columbia, the same protection that a member 
of the Capitol Police now has and that police in 38 States now have. I 
think this is one way to say that if you are going to commit a heinous 
crime like this, you are going to face the ultimate of penalties.
  I want Officer Gibson and his family to know that we appreciate that 
he gave his life in the line of duty. I want them to know that in the 
future, in his memory, we are going to not only give the highest 
penalty to someone who would kill one of his comrades, but we will also 
give restitution to the family that is suffering from the loss of their 
breadwinner, their father, their husband.
  So I will introduce this bill today. I hope that we can get immediate 
action on it because it is time for us to say that the District of 
Columbia is going to be the model Capital City. I know all of us, on a 
bipartisan basis, want to make that happen. We want to come together to 
make this city work. After all, it is the beacon to the world for what 
is good about America. It is time that the Capital City met that test.
  So in memory of Officer Gibson, I hope we will pass this bill. I hope 
we will do everything possible to get the crime rate in our Capital 
City down so that visitors from all over America will want to come and 
see this beautiful city that is our Capital.
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