[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S1809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMITMENT TO THE CAPITOL HILL POLICE

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I had a chance before the last break to 
talk about a commitment we made to Capitol Hill police.
  We lost two fine officers. They were slain. We went to their service. 
We made it clear that we thanked them for the ways in which they 
protect the public, for the ways in which they protect us. We said we 
never want this to happen again.
  We have posts where there is 1 officer with 20 and 30 and 40 people 
streaming in. We made the commitment that we were going to have at 
least two officers at every post.
  I know there are Senators, such as Senator Bennett, who are in key 
positions and who care deeply about this. Senator Reid was a Capitol 
Hill policeman. There are others as well.
  We have to get this appropriations bill right. We need to hire more 
officers. We need to make sure the money is there for overtime so we 
don't have one officer at each post.
  This can't go on and on because if we don't do this, there will come 
a day when, unfortunately, someone will show up--someone who may be 
insane, someone who will take a life, or lives. One officer at a post 
and not two officers at a post is an untenable security situation.
  My plea to colleagues is, we need to get this right for the public 
and for the Capitol Hill police. We made this commitment. I think 
Democrats and Republicans alike care about this.
  I thank my colleagues.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. L. Chafee). The Senator from 
Massachusetts.

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