[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H6500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF OFFICER CHESTNUT AND SPECIAL AGENT 
                                 GIBSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, as the Nation and the Capitol Hill family 
and, of course, the families of Special Agent Gibson and Officer 
Chestnut deal with this extraordinary tragedy, we, of course, extend 
our condolences to the immediate family members and their dear friends, 
including all of our friends here on Capitol Hill who have been so 
impacted by this.
  One cannot help but think of what it is we can learn from this, and 
what it is that this has taught us. Of course, we have all, over the 
past few days, expressed greater appreciation for those men and women 
who are on the front line as Capitol Hill police officers than we have 
ever have.
  I have always prided myself on being friendly and talking with them, 
but there have been more than a few occasions where I have been in a 
hurry and rushed by. Over the weekend and yesterday and today, of 
course, like all of my colleagues, we have stopped and taken a moment 
to express our appreciation. We all know how important gratitude is.

  We also must remember, as we have just had the opportunity to walk by 
the two caskets in the great rotunda, and in about 45 minutes we will 
be moving into the Rotunda for this service, but we have to remember 
that this experience shows us the magnitude of man's humanity to man. 
We know it is, from this experience, our deeds that make us great, and 
while we have been talking, as we do so well here, we know that our 
words are important, but it is our deeds that will be remembered.
  Mr. Speaker, these two men exemplify the simple, everyday greatness 
of self-sacrifice. I join in extending condolences to the Gibson and 
Chestnut families, and wish them God speed.

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