[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 40 (Monday, March 15, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DELAY IN CAPITOL VISITORS CENTER

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I didn't know Jacob Chestnut, but I did know 
Detective John Gibson, as a result of an unfortunate incident with a 
member of my family. Officer Gibson reacted in a very valiant way on 
something a couple months before he was murdered last July in this 
Capitol complex.
  Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson, about 9 months ago, were murdered. 
They were murdered when an assailant went through a door, shot both of 
them, killed both of them, and was after other people as well. The 
Presiding Officer, being a physician/surgeon, was on the floor and 
rendered great aid and assistance to others who were injured, for which 
we are all grateful. After that tragedy, many of us stood on this floor 
and talked about the need to do something to stop these incidents in 
the future.
  Mr. President, I look at this in a number of different ways. I look 
at it as someone who knows what a valiant man John Gibson was and, of 
course, I am sure Officer Chestnut also; I just did not know him on a 
personal basis. I approach this on the basis that I am a Senator and 
have some responsibility for this Capitol complex. I approach it as a 
person who is concerned about my staff and the visitors who come to 
this complex being safe and secure.
  I approach it also as a former Capitol police officer. I have great 
empathy and great understanding, I believe, for what police officers go 
through in this facility. What we talked about last year, after this 
incident, is that finally, after more than a decade, we were going to 
do something to create a visitors center in the east plaza. In this 
beautiful Capitol complex, we have a big parking lot; we have asphalt. 
We have talked about having a nice grassy area, as well as an 
underground area where people can come and enter the Capitol.
  Now, if people want to come and take a tour through the Capitol, they 
stand out on the east plaza, on that asphalt. No matter the 
temperature, it can be 5 degrees below zero, they still stand out 
there. There is no place else for them to go. If it is 100 degrees, 
like it gets here in August, they still stand out there. There is no 
place else for them to go. There is no place for them to get a drink of 
water. There is no place for them to go to the bathroom. They stand out 
on the asphalt waiting to come through the Capitol.

  After the unfortunate murders of these two police officers, we talked 
about how we were going to do something. We immediately authorized a 
bill to allow construction of this facility. After that was done, we 
appropriated money to initiate the planning of this visitors center. In 
fact, we are no closer to completion of this facility today than when 
these two officers were gunned down by this man, this terrorist.
  We need to move forward with this effort. However, we have created a 
bureaucratic nightmare. We have four or five committees and 
subcommittees which have jurisdiction over how it is going to be 
constructed, when it is going to be constructed, and who is going to be 
constructing it, in what manner it is going to be constructed. We have 
heard lately that other committees want to get involved. We do not have 
enough now. We want to add some more.
  I say, as a member of two committees that are talking about this, out 
of the three or four that are involved, I think we should get on with 
the business at hand. I understand the need for oversight, I understand 
very much, but there comes a time when we have said enough and we must 
move forward to do what we have to do.
  This is not a waste of taxpayers' money. If we have this beautiful 
facility, not only will it be a convenience for the public but it will 
be a safety factor, because it will give a way to funnel people in this 
Capitol so that proper measures can be taken to find out if they are 
carrying weapons or bombs or anything else that could be of danger to 
the people inside this facility. In addition to that, it will be a 
place where people can go to the bathroom and escape from the elements. 
It will probably be set up so that there will be places for them to 
eat. In effect, it will be a place where there will be revenues gained 
from this facility. We owe this facility to the two officers who were 
gunned down 9 months ago, we owe it to our staffs, for we, as Members, 
are responsible for their safety and security. We owe it to the 
millions of people who come to this facility on a yearly basis. We are 
very proud of this U.S. Capitol; all Americans are. We should be able 
to come to this Capitol without fearing for our safety.
  For more than 10 years, well before last year's tragedy, there had 
been a lot of talk about building a Capitol complex visitors center, 
but it has only been talk. It is about time we turn this talk into 
action, for the good of the country.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be able 
to speak for 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Thank you.

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