[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9130-S9134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO OFFICERS JOHN GIBSON AND JACOB CHESTNUT
Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I rise to express my profound respect and
appreciation for Officers John Gibson and Jacob Chestnut, two men whose
lives were tragically cut short on Friday as they stood watch in the
Capitol--a building that is, as we have constantly been reminded this
weekend, ``the People's House.'' Officer Chestnut was 58--a loving
husband, a veteran of Vietnam, the father of five children, and the
grandfather of another five.
Officer Gibson was 42--a bright young man, full of energy and good
works, who had dedicated his life to protecting others. Like Officer
Chestnut, he, too, was a loving husband and the father of three.
Today, both men are gone. We mourn their loss and express our deepest
condolences to their families. We acknowledge that we will never fully
understand what would motivate such a heinous act of violence against
the innocent in a building that is the icon of Democracy, but we know
that in stopping such brutality--in saving the lives of how many
tourists, staff members and Congressmen we will never know--the names
of John Gibson and Jacob Chestnut are etched forever in the pantheon of
heroes.
All who are indebted to them--myself included--will from this day
forward speak their names in reverence. Their courage will inspire
those who will hear told the tale of their sacrifices. While their
children, their grandchildren and great grandchildren will stand tall--
living legacies of extraordinary men.
In expressing our gratitude to these brave officers, we also
acknowledge the skill, professionalism and dedication of the other
1,250 members of the United States Capitol Police force. They are among
the most highly trained and well-respected law enforcement officers in
the world.
Members of Congress, congressional staff, tourists, and all those who
come and go through these buildings are blessed to have these men and
women on the ramparts. Our hearts are with them as well, as they mourn
the loss of their two distinguished colleagues and friends.
It is never easy, Mr. President, to weather a tragedy of this kind.
There is little, if anything, that can be done to console loved ones
and to reassure the children of men whose lives were lost that the
principles and sense of duty for which their fathers stood are the very
virtues which sustain life's goodness. But in time, they will be
assured.
They will come to discover--as we all discover--that such principles
are eternal: service, selflessness, sacrifice. Their meanings resonate
beyond mortality. And we come to acknowledge the simple truth written
more than 2,000 years ago: Greater love hath no man than that he lay
down his life for a friend.
TRIBUTE TO OFFICER CHESTNUT, OFFICER GIBSON AND THE CAPITOL POLICE
Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I guess what I will say on the floor of
the Senate, in part, is an effort to speak to the families of Officer
Chestnut and Officer Gibson, but I guess it is also an effort on my
part not only to speak to their families, but also to speak to the
Capitol Hill Police.
Early Monday morning, Sheila, my wife, and I were walking from our
apartment, which is near the Hart Senate Office Building, over to the
doctor's office. Usually that takes about 7 minutes. It took about 40
minutes because of all of the officers who we ran into and all of the
embraces, the hugs and the tears, just the embrace of real pain that
people feel.
I want to say--I don't really have any words--this is a very, very
sad day in Washington, DC, but I want to say to all of the Capitol Hill
Police that all of us in the Senate--but I am now speaking for myself
as a Senator from Minnesota--want you to know of our love and our
support. We want Officer Chestnut and Officer Gibson's families to know
that their husbands and fathers, sons, brothers were so courageous. I
wish personally that there is something I can do to change everything.
I wish that none of this had happened. It is horrifying. It seems
senseless.
They were two wonderful men. I only knew them to say hello. I know
the Capitol Police much better on the Senate side. It never should have
happened, but these men deserve all of our praise. Their families
deserve all of our love and support.
Especially as a U.S. Senator, I say to the other police officers--I
guess that is mainly the one thing I want to do today--I want them to
know how much
[[Page S9131]]
I appreciate what they do. I want them to know how sorry I am that this
happened. I want them to know that I hope and pray it will never happen
again. And I want all of my colleagues to know, Democrats and
Republicans alike, that I think today we are all together. Everybody
can feel this, everybody can understand this, and I think probably the
best thing we can do in memory of two very brave police officers is to
understand how precious each day is, understand how precious people
are, understand how important life is, appreciate the people who help
us and go out of our way to make sure we live our lives in the most
honest way possible.
To the Capitol Hill Police, thank you for some of you being really
great friends to Sheila and me. I know how much pain you are in, but
please know that you have our support.
REMEMBER THE FALLEN HEROES
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, last week's deadly violence in the Halls
of the United States Capitol touched the conscience of a nation. From
coast to coast, Americans gathered to talk about the shootings. The
coverage has dominated television, has dominated our newspapers, as
well it should. There has been much discussion about who the assailant
was, where he was born, where he lived, what might have caused him to
do this dreadful deed.
I must say, Mr. President, with deep regret, that this assailant
spent a part of his life in my home State of Montana. We in Montana are
even more grieved, even more touched, and find this tragedy even more
tragic than others in the Nation--if that is possible.
This man was not from Montana. We pride ourselves that those of us
from our State have a great sense of honor, pride, duty, sense of
family, sense of community. This person, unfortunately, spent some time
in our State before he perpetrated this dreadful, violent, evil act.
We are deeply grieved. We are very deeply sorry. I am speaking for
the people of my State of Montana.
Mr. President, there has been some conversation, too, about why
things like this happen. Did somehow the system allow a person like
this with some mental illness to fall between the cracks? The system we
have for treating mental illness, was it somehow not adequate?
Frankly, I believe that the system is inadequate. That is, there are
many people who are homeless. We are not properly treating people who
are mentally disturbed, some of whom are paranoid schizophrenic. They
are not receiving medication. They are not being properly treated,
because our system is not paying enough attention to people who have
this illness. I think if we do not remedy the situation, we will have
continued troubles on our hands. I hope we do remedy it very quickly.
Remember more than anything else the real heroes here. The real
heroes are the officers who were shot performing their duty. Talking
about the assailant and talking about how we correct the system is
meaningless--because the real lesson here is the lesson of Jacob
Chestnut and John Gibson.
All of us here personally know many of the Capitol Police. We live
with them. We see them daily. We talk with them. They talk with us. We
know many by their first names. We know something about them
personally.
Tony, for example. Tony D'Ambrosio was a plainclothes detective,
first a uniformed policeman, on Capitol Hill for many years. It wasn't
too many years ago I received several death threats--regrettably, in my
home State of Montana. Tony came out to Montana with me and we ran a
marathon together. I got to know Tony quite well and have the highest
regard for him.
There is Steven out there. Many know Steven. Steven stands by the
door to the entrance of the Senate. We talk with him, we joke with him.
He is part of our family.
Then there is Henry. Henry Turner. Henry Turner is a policeman
originally from Alabama, who is also stationed out here at the front
door. I often talk to Henry about legislation on the floor. ``This is a
good bill to vote for,'' or ``This is not a good amendment to vote
for.'' Henry would know more about the legislation before the Senate
than a lot of Senators, on occasion. A great man to talk to. Very wise.
A very wise, very thoughtful man from Alabama.
The same is obviously true for John and for Jacob. I did not
personally know them nearly as well as I know other Capitol Police, but
they are men, they are fathers, they are parents. They have family just
like all of us do, all of us in the Senate, all of us in the country.
We are all bound together by the community of brotherhood, the
community of sisterhood, the community of family. We are all together.
Many people have said it in many, many ways, and I want to share my
deepest sympathy for them, John and Jacob, for their families, and I
want them to know that we all are with them. We are now and we will
always be.
HEROISM IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, it is with some reluctance that I rise this
afternoon to speak of the tragic occurrence, where two fine officers
were gunned down here in the Capitol. The reason I say it is with
reluctance is because, like many of us in this Chamber, I know from
personal experience that when a wife or husband or son or daughter is
taken from a family as a consequence of a totally unexpected violent
event, that there is little that anyone can say or do, no matter how
well intended we may be, that can in any way ease the pain of the
family members who survive--the children, the spouses, parents.
So I debated with myself today whether or not to say anything at all.
Much has been said about the heroism displayed in the performance of
duty, and much more will be said about the lives that these two men, in
giving theirs, probably saved. All that need be said, but none of that
in any way is likely to produce any sense of relief on the part of the
children of the officers, on the part of their spouses, on the part of
their families. As a matter of fact, it is likely to produce,
initially, a sense of anger; a feeling of ``Why my father?'' a feeling
of ``Why did it have to be my husband?''
So, in a few moments each of us in our own ways will, as we attend
the memorial service, demonstrate our high regard for and pay respects
to the families as well as the deceased officers. But I also note one
other thing from personal experience. Notwithstanding the fact nothing
that we say today can ease that horrible void that seems to occupy the
chest of the family members who can't fathom why this occurred to their
father or to their husband--nothing we do will make them feel any
better today--but, as time goes on, they will find a sense of comfort
knowing that so many people held their father, their spouse, in such
high regard. It will not occur for months, but it will occur. It will
occur. And when it does, it will at that time help ease, ever so
slightly, that sense of loss. The pain will never go away. The sense of
loss will never be completely abated. But it will become easier to live
with. So, as I said, although a lot of us in this Chamber know from
similar experiences the feeling, it is hard when you are going through
it to know one other thing that occurs and that is that time, time will
not erase the pain, but time will make it livable.
At this moment, I expect, family members feel that nothing--nothing--
nothing that will happen to them from this point on will make life as
worth living as it has been for them. But, again from personal
experiences, all of us know, who have gone through similar things, that
the time will come when the memory of J.J. or John, the memory of their
father or husband, will bring a smile to their lips rather than a tear
to their eyes. My only prayer, on behalf of my wife Jill and me--we
talked a lot about this morning before I came down--my prayer for the
family members is that moment will come sooner than later. It will
come. It will come. But that it will come sooner than later.
We ask a lot of those who serve this Nation. But few of us, few of us
ever have to give what these two officers gave. Even fewer family
members have to live with the sacrifice they have made, the void that
is created and the pain that will endure for some time, like the
families of the two fallen officers. So, again, I have no illusions
that my words, as inadequate as they are, or the words of any of us,
will at this moment give much comfort. But in time, in time I hope they
will find some refuge in what has been said, in the outpouring of
respect, the outpouring of
[[Page S9132]]
emotion, the outpouring of just simple, plain gratitude on the part of
the staff, the Senators, and all Americans for what these two men did.
They did their duty. They did their duty. And, in doing so, they
clearly saved the lives of other innocent people. That is no comfort
now, but it will, in time, be some comfort.
Let me close by saying, once again, in time the pain will ease. In
time, when they think of their father, when they think of their
husband, they will, in fact, smile rather than cry. All that we can
hope is that time will come sooner than later.
I yield the floor.
TRIBUTE TO OFFICERS JOHN GIBSON AND JACOB CHESTNUT.
Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon to add my tribute and
honor to our fallen comrades and colleagues, Officers Chestnut and
Gibson, whose bodies lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda just down the
hall, where Members of the House and Senate paid tribute this morning.
I am not nearly eloquent enough to express the feelings, certainly,
that all of us have about what these two men did mean to us, what all
of our officers, protectors, men and women who guard over us and our
population that visits this great and magnificent Capitol, this Capitol
that represents free men and women, this Capitol that represents the
best hope for mankind, mean to us.
What I would like to offer is a saying that I have found comforting
over the years and I believe applies very much to our fallen heroes.
And that saying goes like this--that man is a success who has lived
well, laughed often, and loved much; who has gained the respect of men
and the love of children, who leaves the world better than he found it,
whether through an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul,
who never failed to appreciate the beauty of nature, and always gave
the best he had. Officers Chestnut and Gibson gave the best they had
and the America they leave behind is a better place.
Mr. President, I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.
TRIBUTE TO SLAIN CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise to express my deep regret over the
deaths of the two capitol police officers slain in the line of duty
last Friday. Officers John Gibson and Jacob Chestnut were family men;
each was married with three children. They also were dedicated
professionals and, as shown by their final acts, heroes.
Officer Chestnut confronted the lone gunman whose weapon set off the
metal detector at the ``document door'' entrance to the main Capitol
building. Officer Chestnut was fulfilling his duty to protect the
people's building and the thousands upon thousands of Americans who
visit their building, from violence. He paid for his dedication with
his life.
The gunman mortally wounded Officer Chestnut, then went into the
building, firing his weapon and finding his way to the office of the
distinguished Majority Whip, Congressman Tom DeLay. Congressman DeLay
and his staff were in mortal danger from this gunman. I know that every
one of them thanks God for the acts of Officer Gibson, whose bravery
and perseverance brought down the gunman at the office door, even as
Officer Gibson himself lay mortally wounded.
Each of us who serves in the United States Senate depends on the
bravery and dedication of men and women like Officers Gibson and
Chestnut. Every day they put their lives on the line to protect the
safety and well-being of Members of Congress and the public. Many of us
have become friends with particular officers over the months and years
we have served in this body, and that is only right. But it certainly
doesn't make it any easier when we have to say goodbye to two such
dedicated public servants and members of our Capitol Hill family.
My condolences go out to the families of these brave men. It is my
hope that they will derive comfort from the knowledge that Officers
Gibson and Chestnut died protecting people from a mad gunman,
sacrificing themselves for the greater good--a greater good to which
they had devoted their careers and their lives.
HONORING JACOB J. CHESTNUT AND JOHN M. GIBSON
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise to join the people across our Nation
paying tribute to the heroic actions of Officer Jacob J. Chestnut and
Detective John M. Gibson. These two men, who were killed during a
senseless act of violence last Friday, gave their lives in order to
protect the American people and their Capitol. They died fulfilling
their sworn duty to protect the men and women who work in the Capitol
compound and the multitudes of visitors who tour each day. The loss of
J. J. Chestnut and John Gibson is like a death in the family. However,
despite the great loss that will feel, our thoughts and prayers are
first with their families, who will bear the greatest burden of this
tragic event. We hope that they may find some solace in knowing that
the Nation joins them in their grief.
These fallen protectors were true heroes. They faced gunfire and
death in the line of duty. It is fitting that we are able to pay our
final respects to them today in the very place where they worked and
gave their lives. The Capitol Police serve with pride, efficiency and
good humor. They handle the enormous task of allowing the multitude of
people who visit our Capitol, the symbol of freedom and democracy the
world over, access to it without a feeling of having to cross a
barricade. This openness and accessibility have a heavy price, as we
mourn the loss of these brave men.
Today, J. J. Chestnut and John Gibson are being given an
extraordinary honor by the Congress when their caskets are placed in
the Capitol rotunda. It is an honor that has been bestowed upon very
few of our Nation's exemplary public servants and one which is entirely
fitting for J. J. Chestnut and John Gibson. They were public servants
in the most fundamental sense. Their sense of duty and service were
unmatched, and as we mourn the deaths of these two outstanding men we
can also feel a sense of pride in the great sacrifice they made in the
defense of democracy, our Capitol, and its visitors.
Mr. President, I know my Senate colleagues and Americans everywhere
join in honoring these two fallen heroes: Jacob J. Chestnut and John M.
Gibson.
in memory of officer gibson and officer chestnut
Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, today, in a place where President's have
laid, Officers J.J. Chestnut and Detective John Gibson lay in state
under the Capitol Dome, the very symbol of freedom and democracy that
they died to protect.
On Friday, July 24th, Mr. Gibson and Mr. Chestnut laid down their
lives for the people visiting their Capitol, for our staffs, and for
us. These two brave men are true public servants. Their actions
protected American lives and our cradle of freedom, the Capitol.
Even though I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Gibson and Mr.
Chestnut, I do know many like them. They are both husbands, fathers--
Mr. Gibson has 3 children, and Mr. Chestnut has 5, and J.J. Chestnut is
a grandfather. I also know them from the friendships that I and my wife
Joan have formed with the committed and selfless Capitol Hill Police. I
want to thank them for their service to me, my family, my staff, and
every visitor that enters this Capitol.
Mine, my wife's, and my staff's hearts go out to the families of
these two loved family men and the Capitol Hill Police for their two
fallen respected colleagues. They are heroes. While no words can ever
express the sorrow felt, our prayers go out to their families, friends,
and the Capitol Hill Police.
Thank you Officer John Gibson and Officer J.J. Chestnut for your
service to all of us and to this country. God bless their memory and
their families.
TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES--J.J. CHESTNUT AND JOHN GIBSON
Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to honor two fallen heroes--
U.S. Capitol Police Officer J.J. Chestnut and U.S. Capitol Police
Special Agent John Gibson--who gave their lives to protect us. When I
say ``us,'' I do not refer only to members of Congress, to the tourists
who visited the Capitol last Friday, or to staff members working that
afternoon, I refer to all Americans. J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson gave
their lives to protect our house, the people's house, and our freedom.
J.J. Chestnut, 58, joined the Capitol Police force in 1980, following
20 years of service in the United States Air
[[Page S9133]]
Force. He earned numerous commendations and awards for both his
military and police service, including a Vietnam Service Medal, the
Bronze Star for Meritorious military service and countless letters of
appreciation from citizens and staff for assistance provided and
attention to duty. Officer Chestnut is survived by his wife, Wen Ling,
and five children.
John Gibson, 42, also joined the Capitol Police force in 1980, and
also earned numerous commendations. In 1988, Gibson was commended for
going to the aid of a citizen, and saving their life by administering
CPR. Special Agent Gibson is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and three
children.
It is horribly ironic to me that one of the fallen officers, J.J.
Chestnut, was a Vietnam Veteran who survived combat only to fall at the
hand of a fellow American. As a veteran he served his country so that
we could all have our freedom, a freedom which the gunman who walked
into the United States Capitol last Friday and opened fire, did not
understand, did not honor and certainly did not respect.
In 1862, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote: ``It is natural enough to suppose
that the center and heart of America is the Capitol.'' He stated that
the Capitol's combination of dignity, harmony, and utility made it a
fit embodiment of the highest traits of our nation. A year later,
Sculptor Thomas Crawford's 19\1/2\ foot, 7\1/2\ ton Statue of Freedom
was lifted and placed atop the Capitol Dome.
Nearly every President since Andrew Jackson has been inaugurated on
its steps. The Capitol has hosted a cast of American legends, as great
Senators and great members of the House have presided and debated in
each of two houses over the years, including John Calhoun, Daniel
Webster, Henry Clay, Robert Lafollette, George Norris, Richard Russell,
John F. Kennedy, Sam Rayburn, Carl Vinson, Robert Byrd.
The Capitol has also been home to so many milestones in American
history. The Capitol was where the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964,
and where women were granted the right to vote. It was where war was
declared after the invasion of Pearl Harbor following upon the famous
``Day of Infamy'' speech. It was where the Social Security Act was
enacted, and where legislation was passed to limit child labor.
More than anything, our Capitol has stood as a symbol of our
democracy, of our liberty, and of our freedom since President George
Washington laid the cornerstone for the building in 1793.
Let us not let the actions of the gunman last Friday threaten our
freedom, or our belief in our democracy. Instead, let us focus on the
heroic actions of officers J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson, who last week
gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
I am reminded of a passage from Thucydides' ``Funeral Oration of
Pericles'':
So they gave their bodies to the commonwealth and received,
each for his own memory, praise that will never die, and with
it the grandest of all sepulchers, not that in which their
mortal bones are laid, but a home in the minds of men, where
their glory remains fresh to stir to speech or action as the
occasion comes by. For the whole earth is the sepulcher of
famous men; and their story is not graven only on stone over
their native earth, but lives on far away, without visible
symbol, woven into the stuff of other men's lives. For you
now it remains to rival what they have done and, knowing the
secret of freedom a brave heart, not idly to stand aside from
the enemy's onset.
We have a lot to learn from the selfless bravery and public service
displayed by these two men. Our thoughts and prayers are with their
families and friends at this difficult time. God bless.
THE MURDERS OF U.S. CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS JACOB CHESTNUT AND JOHN
GIBSON
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, my heart goes out to the families of
the two officers slain in Friday's brutal shooting. These two men will
be forever known for their bravery, courage and heroism in laying down
their lives to protect all of us who pass through the halls of the
United States Capitol.
The Capitol police officers, Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson, made the
ultimate sacrifice that any person can give in laying down their lives
so that others would be spared. Their actions demonstrated the highest
form of bravery, selflessness, and professionalism.
We must all remember that the price of democracy is indeed, a high
one. At times, the openness of our government is sometimes challenged
by events like those that took place this past Friday. But even though
our democracy sometimes seems fragile when challenged by senseless
violence, we must all do our part to ensure that this type of violence
never happens again. I am confident we will take those steps as a
nation.
I had just landed in Colorado when I learned what had happened in the
Capitol building. When my plane arrived, I received an emergency call
from my office informing me of the tragic events. In an instant, my
mind fell back to November 28th, 1978 when in City Hall in San
Francisco the double assassination of Mayor George Moscone and
Supervisor Harvey Milk took place. I knew the terrible anguish--even
anger--that accompanies events like this one.
This event also shows the depth to which America's infatuation with
weapons can lead to tragedy. Not only do we now see youngsters shooting
other youngsters, but also the unthinkable slayings in what should be
one of the safest places in our nation, the United States Capitol. In
this very difficult time, I am proud to say that Officers Jacob
Chestnut and John Gibson will always be remembered as American heroes.
recognition of sacrifices of jacob j. chestnut and john m. gibson
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise humbly to pay tribute to Officers
Jacob Chestnut and Special Agent John Gibson--and all of their fellow
Capitol Police officers and law enforcement officers across the nation
and world.
As I filed past the bodies of our slain officers in the rotunda this
morning, I was overwhelmed by the sacrifice they made to protect us,
our families and fellow citizens. So many times, we take law
enforcement for granted because we see them every day monitoring
entrances, patrolling the Capitol, just being there. And, thankfully,
we don't often see events like the tragedy that occurred on Friday.
But events like those on Friday do happen. They happen every day
across this great nation. Law enforcement officers sacrifice their
lives so we can live more safely and freely. Every time that happens, I
remember the commitment they have made and I thank them.
When such madness strikes at our nation's symbol of democracy, it
should remind us even more that freedom comes at a price. Our citizens
and people of all lands are welcome to visit our capitol and
participate in the democracy that they help sustain. They can watch
Members of Congress undertake the people's business from the galleries
above the two house chambers. They can visit us in our offices. They
can visit sacred monuments and historic sites.
Just last Wednesday, at a coffee I held for visiting constituents
from Washington State, one tourist exclaimed how impressed she was with
the accessibility of the Capitol, with the openness of the process and
the ability to meet and see her Senator and Representatives. I agreed
that we have a wonderful system and I praised her for taking advantage
of that openness and participating in our great democracy.
But we have defenders of this democracy and openness. Those men and
women are our police officers who try to find that perfect balance of
an open society and a safe society. Sometimes that balance means lives
are sacrificed to protect those noble goals.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families of Officer Chestnut and
Special Agent Gibson. This is such a tragedy. As I have read about
their lives and families and commitment to their communities, their
sacrifice was made even more real. They are true heroes.
So, I thank them and I thank the Capitol Police. I honor their
service. I will use this tragedy to make sure I remember the tremendous
commitment our law enforcement officers have made to us: To keep us as
safe and when we are in danger, to lay down their lives for us.
Tribute to Slain Officers Chestnut and Gibson
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and mourn the
passing of two cherished members of our Capitol Hill community, Officer
J.J. Chestnut and Officer John Gibson, slain Friday in the line of
duty.
[[Page S9134]]
As we mourn their deaths and pay tribute to them, perhaps we should
recall the particular, even paradoxical, quality of who they were and
what they did: They stood among us, as members of this community, but
they also stood apart.
As many have noted since their deaths, both officers were familiar to
those of us who work in the Capitol. They stood guard in these halls--
and so they stood, literally, among us. And their lives resembled many
of our own lives; they were husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. They
took pleasure from their families and pride in their work. If but for
the sad events on Friday, they might have continued to live as so many
of us do: simply but decently, content to be known and loved mostly by
those closest to them.
But they stood guard in these halls--and so they also stood apart.
They belong to that small but remarkable group of people whose
profession requires the willing forfeiture not just of their time and
talent but, if necessary, of their very lives. Unlike most of us, their
daily work was to offer their life in the place of another's. More
dramatically and compellingly than most of us, they embodied the
qualities that sustain our democracy: selflessness and courage. In
this, they stood guard over our democratic tradition.
As individuals and citizens, we are defined not only by who we stand
with, but by when we choose to stand apart. I am honored that these men
stood among us everyday and grateful that, when the critical moment
came, they also freely chose to stand apart. In tribute, in these halls
they guarded, we stand as one and grieve their deaths.
TRIBUTE TO U.S. CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS JACOB CHESTNUT AND JOHN GIBSON
Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Capitol Police
Officers Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson who sacrificed their lives last
Friday safeguarding our nation's Capitol, Members of Congress, our
staffs and the thousands of Americans who were visiting the Capitol on
that tragic day.
We are privileged to work in these hallowed buildings that are
central to the greatest democracy in the world. We are equally
privileged that Officers Chestnut and Gibson and their colleagues are
willing to risk their lives to defend us from harm and keep democracy
alive.
Capitol Police Officers protect more than 7 million visitors who come
to our Nation's Capitol every year. Often, they are the first to
welcome these visitors to our Capitol. I thank all the officers who
secure our grounds and dedicate their lives to our safety.
Officers Chestnut and Gibson and their families are in our thoughts
and our prayers, but we also should remember to pray for the safety of
hundreds of other men and women who protect us everyday as we do the
business of the American people. This tragedy should remind all of us
that our democracy and our nation's security are ultimately dependent
upon the courage and commitment of individuals such as Jacob Chestnut
and John Gibson.
TRIBUTE TO U.S. CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS JOHN GIBSON AND JACOB CHESTNUT
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, honoring those who die in the service of
others is a practice as old as life itself. From ancient times to the
present day, those who survive pay tribute to those who have fallen
with songs and symbols, flowers and ceremonies.
And it is a good thing, for it is at times like these that words
often fail us. Few memorial addresses have outlived those who uttered
them--not because of the inadequacy of the speakers, but because of the
inadequacy of words themselves. To quote General James A. Garfield, who
spoke at the first memorial at Arlington National Cemetery--where
Officers Gibson and Chestnut will be buried later this week--``If
silence is ever golden, it must be here beside the graves of men whose
lives were more significant than speech, and whose death was a poem the
music of which can never be sung.''
John Gibson and Jacob Chestnut were such men, as their countless
friends and associates have testified, and so I add my small tribute to
the hundreds that have already been offered in the hope that it may, in
some small way, console the hearts of those they leave behind.
Mr. President, long after these men are laid to their final rest, the
memory of their warmth and their many kindnesses, their lives and their
heroic sacrifice will live on in the hearts and minds of all of us--
indeed, of all who visit the soaring symbol of freedom and democracy
they died to defend. From this day forward it will stand, like a silent
sentry, guarding the memory of their valor and courage.
May the Almighty god who watches over all of us, comfort and
strengthen their wives and children in the days ahead, and may He
protect all who place themselves in harm's way so that we may enjoy the
blessings and benefits of freedom.
Mr. President, I thank the chair and yield the floor.
____________________