[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 10 (Tuesday, February 8, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S478]]
                         CAPITOL HILL SECURITY

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, first of all, I have been speaking 
about the security of the Capitol Hill police. I made a commitment to 
myself, much less to others, that I would continue to speak on it. I 
always start with the service for Officers Chestnut and Gibson and a 
commitment I am absolutely sure we made to the Capitol Hill police that 
we would do everything possible to assure security for them, much less 
the public.
  One of the things we have to do--and we have to do it today; if not 
today, tomorrow; but I don't think we should let time go by--is make 
whatever kind of policy change and whatever kind of commitment of 
resources need to be made to assure that at every post there are two 
officers.
  Again, a lot of the posts have many people entering. If there is one 
officer with lots of people coming through a door and, God forbid, 
somebody deranged enters with the intention of committing an act of 
violence, it would be very difficult for that single officer to deal 
with such a person.
  I again call on all Members to do better by these police officers and 
to live up to this commitment. I am sure Republicans and Democrats all 
agree, but I will focus on this until I am sure we have followed 
through on a commitment we made because I don't think we have followed 
through on it yet.

                          ____________________