[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 56 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S3949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 79.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 79) to commemorate the 1997 National 
     Peace Officers Memorial Day.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
the resolution appear at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 79) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                               S. Res. 79

       Whereas, the well-being of all ctiizens of this country is 
     preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance 
     and dedication of law enforcement personnel;
       Whereas, more than 500,000 men and women, at great risk to 
     their personal safety, presently serve their fellow citizens 
     in their capacity as guardians of the peace;
       Whereas, peace officers are the front line in preserving 
     our children's right to receive an education in a crime-free 
     environment that is all too often threatened by the insidious 
     fear caused by violence in schools;
       Whereas, 117 peace officers lost their lives in the 
     performance of their duty in 1996, and a total of 13,692 men 
     and women have now made that supreme sacrifice;
       Whereas, every year 1 in 9 officers is assaulted, 1 in 25 
     is injured, and 1 in 4,000 is killed in the line of duty;
       Whereas, on May 15, 1997, more than 15,000 peace officers 
     are expected to gather in our Nation's Capital to join with 
     the families of their recently fallen comrades to honor them 
     and all others before them: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate of the United States of America in 
     Congress assembled, That May 15, 1997, is hereby designated 
     as ``National Peace Officers Memorial Day'' for the purpose 
     of recognizing all peace officers slain in the line of duty. 
     The President is authorized and requested to issue a 
     proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to 
     observe this day with the appropriate ceremonies and respect.

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