[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 149 (Thursday, November 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H7697-H7699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE NEW JERSEY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the immediate 
consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 224) honoring the New Jersey 
State Law Enforcement Officers Association.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, although I do 
not intend to object, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey to 
explain the resolution.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, 
H. Res. 224, honoring the New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers 
Association. This legislation recognizes the bravery and honor of the 
law enforcement officers of New Jersey and the service those officers 
provide to the communities that they serve.
  The New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers Association was formed 
in 1938 and celebrates a history of service and dedication to our 
citizens. Any person who enforces the law of their State or the 
ordinances of any municipality is eligible for active membership in 
this association. Currently, the association includes members from 
Federal, State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies, 
including special and auxiliary police.
  Each year, the New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers Association 
holds an Annual Awards and Recognition Dinner to pay tribute to law 
enforcement officers who have demonstrated heroic or unselfish acts of 
bravery while in the line of duty. This past March the association 
celebrated its 10th awards dinner in recognition of the top officers in 
New Jersey and acknowledged their dedication in protecting and serving 
the State.
  Mr. Speaker, the events of September 11, 2001 have shown all 
Americans that our law enforcement officers serve at great risk to 
their personal safety. We are indebted to law enforcement officers 
everywhere who are willing to die

[[Page H7698]]

to protect the innocent and to risk all of their hopes and their dreams 
to ensure the safety and well-being of our families. Many of our law 
enforcement officers in New Jersey have given their lives in the line 
of duty, and I stand today with my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives to honor and praise these fallen heroes. The thoughts 
and prayers of this Congress and the country remain with their 
families.
  The men and women in New Jersey's law enforcement community are an 
integral part of our society who have earned the public's trust. They 
are on the frontline in our schools and in our streets preserving the 
right of children to learn in schools that are free from violence and 
the rights of our citizens to safe communities everywhere. Mr. Speaker, 
I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the bravery and honor 
of the law enforcement officers of New Jersey and the services of those 
officers to their communities.
  I would like to commend my colleague from New Jersey for joining me 
in support of this important resolution. I would also like to thank 
personally the gentleman from New Jersey for his leadership on this and 
a range of other issues that benefit all of the citizens of New Jersey.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I rise 
this evening to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson) 
and to acknowledge the tremendous work of the New Jersey State law 
enforcement officers. They do this work on a daily basis, and we took 
this work for granted for many years. However, the most recent events 
on September 11 demonstrated their heroic effort when many of the law 
enforcement officers from New Jersey went to New York to attempt to 
save lives of citizens who were the unfortunate victims of a terrorist 
attack. We do owe them a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice and 
commitment to save the lives of all citizens of our great country.
  These men and women work tirelessly and they work to try to serve the 
people of New Jersey and, in turn, they did risk their lives to ensure 
our personal safety.
  The people of New Jersey applaud the efforts of the law enforcement 
officers as they are willing to die even to protect the families of our 
State.
  As a former educator, I recognize the men and women in law 
enforcement who are on the front lines of our schools and our streets, 
who preserve the rights of our smallest citizens to live in a safe 
community, our young people as they go to and from school. We must 
continue to support the work of the individuals who serve the people in 
New Jersey for law enforcement and throughout the country, but we would 
certainly like to highlight those courageous men and women from our 
great State of New Jersey.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Payne), and I join in thanking the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Ferguson) for introducing this legislation.
  This resolution was introduced several months ago in August, but we 
have had a strong reminder since then of the need for this recognition, 
that State after State, we are now reminded of how dependent we are on 
each other and how dependent we are on first responders and especially 
our police.
  In New Jersey when the alarm sounds, police officers put their lives 
on hold and answer. They work day and night to keep order in the 
community and to protect our liberties and our lives.
  On September 11 and the days following, they were active in emergency 
response and urban search and rescue, and day in and day out, they are 
in our schools and in our neighborhoods, teaching children a respect 
for community and a respect for orderly behavior. We owe them a great 
deal of thanks, and this is the least we can do tonight to pass this 
resolution in their honor.
  I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson) for initiating 
this, and I am proud to join him in it.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Menendez).
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want 
to also thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson) for putting 
forth the resolution.
  In the resolution it says two things that we are so accustomed to 
saying, but I think we have now come to understand in a very dramatic 
way how important that sentiment is. It says, as law enforcement 
officers serve at great risk to their personal safety, and whereas the 
citizens of New Jersey are indebted to their law enforcement officers 
who are willing to die to protect them and their families and to risk 
all of their hopes and all of their dreams to ensure the safety and 
well-being of New Jersey's communities.
  We have seen that time and time again in New Jersey, and we have seen 
that certainly in the aftermath of September 11, the enormous risk that 
individuals who we come to rely upon, their everyday members of our 
community, in a sense; we see them as we walk our streets or as they 
patrol our neighborhoods and we think of them in the context when there 
is no great harm and no great fear. But when events like September 11 
take place, it magnifies for us the great risk that they take, and that 
risk is never known when it is going to visit.
  In my district, which is right across from midtown Manhattan where we 
see the New York skyline view, where we used to see the World Trade 
Center, and now see the scar that has been left behind, we saw hundreds 
of police officers being part of the triage system that brought 
individuals, over 1,000, to the New Jersey side of the river to 
ultimately get care in our hospitals and emergency clinics. In that 
respect, and in so many other respects, the fact of the matter is that 
we see the enormous risks that our men and women in blue take on on a 
daily basis. September 11 magnified that for us. The constant challenge 
we have magnifies that for us.
  Lastly, let me just say it is good to recognize the New Jersey Law 
Enforcement Officers Association and their members and others in 
uniform. I also believe we need to stand by them in meaningful ways, in 
ways in which we assist them as part of that crucial first responder 
network. We need to help them with resources for training in the new 
environment that we are in. We need to help those communities that have 
exhausted their overtime budgets in this context so that we can be able 
to keep those departments whole.

                              {time}  2100

  We need to provide resources through what has been our COPS program 
to deal with the new security threats. When we do those things, we 
truly honor the individuals whose resolution we seek to recognize 
today.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those timely 
remarks. We appreciate the great work he has been doing in the Congress 
and in the State of New Jersey.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson).
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  I again want to commend my colleagues for joining us here on the 
floor of the House to offer our praise and recognition for these men 
and women who work so hard to protect us and protect our families.
  Our districts, Mr. Speaker, in New Jersey are not far from New York 
City. So many of our constituents and families, people that we 
represent, were affected very directly by the events of September 11. 
In my district alone we lost 81 people. That is 81 families and 
communities who are grieving over the loss of loved ones.
  To see, in the hours and days and weeks following these tragedies, to 
see the incredible service, the dedication, the sacrifice of those who 
wear a law enforcement uniform has been truly extraordinary.
  Some statistics, just to highlight the incredible service of our men 
and women in uniform:
  There are approximately 740,000 sworn law enforcement officers 
serving in the United States today, the highest figure ever, and about 
12 percent of that number are women.
  There are a total of 1,555 law enforcement officers that died in the 
line of duty in the last 10 years. That is an average of one death 
every 57 hours, or about 156 a year. There were 150 police deaths in 
the year 2000, which represented a 12 percent increase from the 137 
officers who died in 1999. These figures include the victims of the 
September 11 terrorist attacks.

[[Page H7699]]

  Based on the most recent figures, some 300 public safety officials 
are missing, they are missing, as a result of the September 11 
tragedies, including more than 50 law enforcement officers. 
Crimefighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death 
in 1792 there have been more than 15,000 law enforcement officers who 
have given their lives in the line of duty.
  These are some startling numbers, staggering numbers, but statistics 
are secondary when we see in real life the service and the dedication 
of the men and women who serve us in law enforcement.
  We are very, very pleased and I am very, very pleased to join my 
colleagues in offering this resolution this evening.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. We certainly once 
again would like to express our appreciation for the gentleman bringing 
this resolution to the floor.
  As it has been indicated, New Jersey was very severely impacted by 
September 11. The fourth plane that left out of Newark Airport, which 
is in my district, the PATH train that goes to the World Trade Center 
leaves Newark and in 15 minutes or so it is at the site of what is 
ground zero, now.
  So we are very closely involved. We feel the impact on our districts, 
and we once again would like to commend the men and women in blue.
  We had a service just on Wednesday. I went back to the district in 
Newark. We had a service at the University of Medicine and Dentistry, 
where we honored policemen and firemen there on Wednesday. The 
concerned citizens of the hospital did this. It was just continued 
recognition for the great work they have been doing.
  Mr. Speaker, once again I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for House 
Resolution 224, which honors more than 10,000 members of the New Jersey 
State Law Enforcement Officers Association.
  As a proud co-sponsor of this resolution, which was introduced prior 
to the September 11th attacks, our respect for New Jersey's law 
enforcement officers runs deep. Day in and day out, these individuals 
routinely put their life on the line--valor, courage and bravery are 
commonplace in their daily job.
  Formed in 1938, The New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers 
Association celebrates a rich tradition of service and dedication to 
our citizens. Individuals who enforce New Jersey's state laws, and the 
ordinances of New Jersey municipalities, are eligible for active 
membership. Currently, the Association includes members from Federal, 
State, County and Municipal Law Enforcement Agencies, including Special 
and Auxiliary Police.
  Mr. Speaker, the events of September 11, 2001 have shown all 
Americans that our law enforcement officers serve at great risk to 
their personal safety. The men and women of New Jersey's law 
enforcement community are genuine community leaders who do a tough job 
and do it well. Within an hour of the attack, New Jersey police 
officers were deployed to the Hudson River to assist the victims.
  Every single day since then, they have been working around-the-clock 
to bolster security in the New Jersey-New York region. Specifically, 
additional troopers have been mobilized to augment security in 
airports, bridges, and tunnels, as well as to strengthen security at 
the Salem Hope Creek and Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Stations. New 
Jersey State Patrol Marine units have also been deployed to patrol 
waterways, especially the waterways adjacent to the nuclear facilities. 
New Jersey State Police have also increased their presence in Atlantic 
City Hotels and other likely terrorist targets.
  New Jersey officers have also had to deal with thousands of calls in 
response to pubic fears about anthrax contamination. HAZMAT teams have 
been deployed across the state to investigate actual anthrax incidents, 
as well as cruel hoaxes. In my own district, the Hamilton police 
department has been working non-stop to protect and reassure local 
residents who have seen their very neighbors and co-workers exposed and 
even infected with anthrax.
  In our greatest hour of need, New Jersey law enforcement officers 
have filled the breach and made us all proud.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 
bravery and honor of the law enforcement officers of New Jersey. The 
New Jersey State Law Enforcement Officers Association is the voice of 
those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our 
communities, and especially at this time of uncertainty, our law 
enforcement officers deserve our full support.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. 
Res. 224, a resolution honoring the New Jersey State Law Enforcement 
Officers Association and all law enforcement officers in New Jersey. 
They serve and protect our state and local communities with bravery, 
pride, professionalism and honor each and every day.
  The fine men and women who make up New Jersey's law enforcement 
agencies are exceptional people who do a very dangerous job, often 
without fanfare or recognition. They put their own lives on the line so 
that our schools, streets, children and families are safe from harm and 
danger. They are, as we have been reminded by their extraordinary 
response since September 11, true heroes.
  On September 11, thousands of police officers and emergency personnel 
from local communities across New Jersey were mobilized immediately and 
dispatched to help with the search and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. 
Our thanks and our gratitude goes out to everyone who assisted in a 
time of such great need. Our prayers are with the families of the 
victims, which included police officers and firefighters who rushed 
into the World Trade Center to save lives.
  In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to personally thank a few 
of those police officers, fire and emergency personnel from my 
Congressional District by presenting them with flags that flew over the 
U.S. Capitol. Almost every one of the 57 communities I represent sent 
police officers, firefighters and EMT's to the site of the World Trade 
Center Disaster, many of whom are volunteers.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been more than two months since the tragic events 
of September 11, and today, with anthrax a real threat for many, 
especially in New Jersey, our law enforcement officials and emergency 
personnel continue to serve the public tirelessly. I cannot think of a 
better way to honor the work of law enforcement personnel in New Jersey 
than by supporting H. Res. 224.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 224

       Whereas more than 700,000 men and women across the Nation 
     serve their fellow citizens in their capacity as guardians of 
     peace;
       Whereas the law enforcement officers of New Jersey are 
     recognized for their dedication to promote, advance, and 
     encourage cooperation among all law enforcement officers;
       Whereas law enforcement officers serve at great risk to 
     their personal safety;
       Whereas the citizens of New Jersey are indebted to their 
     law enforcement officers, who are willing to die to protect 
     them and their families and to risk all of their hopes and 
     all of their dreams to ensure the safety and well-being of 
     New Jersey communities;
       Whereas law enforcement officers of New Jersey have fallen 
     in the line of duty, and the thoughts and prayers of the 
     House of Representatives and the country remain with the 
     families of these men and women;
       Whereas the men and women in New Jersey's law enforcement 
     community are on the front line in our schools and on our 
     streets, preserving the right of our children to learn in 
     schools that are free of violence and the right of our 
     citizens to safe communities; and
       Whereas the members of the New Jersey State Law Enforcement 
     Officers Association are an integral part of our society, in 
     whom we have instilled public trust: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
     bravery and honor of the law enforcement officers of New 
     Jersey, and the service of those officers to their 
     communities.

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________