[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7579-H7580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE MEMORIAL 
                                BUILDING

  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
Transporation and Infrastructure be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill, H.R. 2443, to designate the Federal building 
located at 601 Fourth Street, NW., in the District of Columbia, as the 
``Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office Memorial 
Building,'' in honor of William H. Christian, Jr., Martha Dixon 
Martinez, Michael J. Miller, Anthony Palmisano, and Edwin R. Woodriffe, 
and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, however, I do 
not intend to object, and I ask the gentleman from California, [Mr. 
Kim] for an explanation of the bill.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. NORTON. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  H.R. 2443 designates the Federal Bureau of Investigation field office 
located on Fourth Street in the District of Columbia as the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office Memorial Building.
  The designation of this building is to honor five Federal Bureau of 
Investigation agents who were killed in the line of duty while assigned 
to the Bureau's Washington, DC, field office. These five agents are: 
William H. Christian, Jr.; Martha Dixon Martinez; Michael J. Miller; 
Anthony Palmisano; and Edwin R. Woodriffe.
  In 1995, Special Agent Christian was murdered in his car while on a 
surveillance assignment; in 1994, Agents Martinez and Miller were 
gunned down in the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters while 
conducting official business; and in 1969, Agents Palmisano and 
Woodriffe were killed while attempting to arrest an escaped prisoner 
from Lorton.
  These agents gave their lives in the war against crime in the 
District. It is fitting that this field office headquarters be 
designated in their honor. This tribute is a small measure of our 
appreciation for their efforts and ultimate sacrifice. I support the 
measure and urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I 
want to join the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] in supporting H.R. 
2443, a bill I introduced with strong bipartisan support from the 
gentlemen from Virginia, Mr. Davis, Mr. Moran, and Mr. Wolf as well as 
the gentlemen from Maryland, Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Wynn and the gentlewoman 
from Maryland, Mrs. Morella.
  The bill would designate the new FBI Washington Field Office at 601 
Fourth Street, NW., in honor of the five FBI agents who have been slain 
in the line of duty. The building will be officially dedicated on 
Friday, September 26, with the surviving families and friends as the 
honored guests.
  These FBI agents were our friends and neighbors who lived in 
Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. They were parents, 
sons, brothers, and sisters. Agent Palmisano and Agent Woodriffe were 
partners. Both were born and raised in the New York City metropolitan 
area.
  Agent Woodriffe was the first African-American agent killed in the 
line of duty.
  Martha Martinez was a young woman of 35 years of age who was married 
to FBI Agent George Martinez and was an acknowledged expert at 
electronic surveillance methodology.
  Agent Mike Miller was a native of Prince George's County and was 
educated at local schools.
  Agent William Christian, also a Maryland native, was a graduate of 
Loyola College. He consistently received superior performance 
evaluations and numerous commendations for his outstanding work. He was 
killed doing undercover work.
  It is most fitting and proper that we honor the sacrifices of these 
brave agents with this designation, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, under my reservation of objection, I yield 
to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I 
thank the gentleman from California for working to report out this 
very, very appropriate piece of legislation which will recognize five 
brave Americans, five of our friends and neighbors who we asked to risk 
their lives on a daily basis.
  We like to think that in asking that risk that there will never come 
a time when the ultimate sacrifice will be made, but we know full well 
from history that there will come times when some of these brave law 
enforcement officials who are on the front lines of protecting our 
communities, our families, our safety will lose their lives in that 
effort. These five individuals are Americans who have worked and 
sacrificed to ensure that freedom and justice prevails in this land.
  I particularly, Mr. Speaker, want to rise to mention Special Agent 
Michael

[[Page H7580]]

John Miller. He was but 41 years of age when he lost his life. He lived 
in Prince George's County, born in Prince George's County and lived in 
Upper Marlboro, MD. He had two children, Benjamin and Dale, age 10 and 
8. They will know their father was a hero but nothing can replace their 
father, nothing can ease their pain nor that of his wife, Wanda. But it 
is important that they know, and the families of the other four agents 
know, that as we name these buildings for them, it is not simply a 
ceremonial act, it is an act of deep gratitude, of deep respect, and 
deep appreciation.
  Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his moving remarks 
and for his support of this bill, and I would also like to thank the 
chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim], 
for his cooperation in allowing us to get this bill out on a very short 
time frame and for his strong support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 2443

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to designate the Federal 
     building referred to in section 2 in honor of William H. 
     Christian, Jr., Martha Dixon Martinez, Michael J. Miller, 
     Anthony Palmisano, and Edwin R. Woodriffe, who were slain in 
     the line of duty.

     SEC. 2. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, WASHINGTON FIELD 
                   OFFICE MEMORIAL BUILDING.

       (a) Designation.--The Federal building located at 601 
     Fourth Street, NW., in the District of Columbia, shall be 
     known and designated as the ``Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation, Washington Field Office Memorial Building''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Federal building referred to in subsection (a) shall be 
     deemed to be a reference to the ``Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation, Washington Field Office Memorial Building''.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

                          ____________________