[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1516-H1519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMENDING DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD, THE NATIONAL GUARD 
  BUREAU AND ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED IN 
RESPONSE TO TERRORIST AND ANTHRAX ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2001

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 378) commending the District of 
Columbia National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the entire 
Department of Defense for the assistance provided to the United States 
Capitol Police and the entire congressional community in response to 
the terrorist and anthrax attacks of September and October 2001.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 378

       Whereas the terrorist and anthrax attacks of September and 
     October 2001 required Congress and the entire Congressional 
     community to respond to a heightened state of emergency;
       Whereas the men and women of the United States Capitol 
     Police were required to shoulder the greatest burden of this 
     emergency response by working tremendously increased hours 
     under difficult conditions, requiring great sacrifices by 
     them and their families;
       Whereas the District of Columbia National Guard responded 
     to the call of the Capitol Police Board and provided National 
     Guard troops to assist the United States Capitol Police in 
     protecting the Capitol complex, providing great relief to the 
     members of the United States Capitol Police; and
       Whereas the combined efforts of the United States Capitol 
     Police and the District of Columbia National Guard have made 
     the Capitol complex secure for Members of Congress, 
     Congressional employees, and visitors, and thereby have 
     enabled Congress to continue to discharge its constitutional 
     duties on behalf of the American people: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress commends the District of Columbia 
     National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the entire 
     Department of Defense for the assistance provided to the 
     United States Capitol Police and the entire Congressional 
     community in response to the terrorist and anthrax attacks of 
     September and October 2001.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This is an important House concurrent resolution. It is number 378. 
It commends the District of Columbia National Guard, the National Guard 
Bureau, and the Department of Defense for the assistance provided to 
the United States Capitol Police and the entire congressional community 
in response to the terrorist and anthrax attacks of September and 
October of 2001.
  As a result of the attacks, the Capitol Police implemented additional 
security measures and began working lengthy hours, which continue to 
this day. With the assistance of the National Guard, the Capitol Police 
were relieved from the necessity of working even longer hours and, 
therefore, helped to lessen the sacrifices that needed to be made by 
our hard-working officers and their families.
  The National Guard has played an integral role in providing security 
to the U.S. Capitol and, by extension, its visitors, staff, Members of 
the House and the Senate, and the entire Nation. This additional 
security has allowed the House of Representatives to truly remain the 
people's House by keeping our doors open and our halls safe and 
allowing Members of this great institution to carry on the most 
important responsibility of doing the people's business. Also, it has 
been for the safety and security of the countless thousands of visitors 
that we have had to the U.S. Capitol.
  Let me just say, Mr. Speaker, that we had a very, very unusual 
situation after September 11 in this Capitol and many people, and I 
could not begin to name all the names, but people who have worked, our 
officers of the House, their staff; when I say officers I am talking 
about the CAO, the Clerk, the Architect of the Capitol and the Sergeant 
at Arms, all the staff on both sides of the aisle, Members of the 
Committee on House Administration.
  I want to commend the gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. Hoyer), our 
ranking member, and all of the Members on both sides of the aisle, Mr. 
Speaker, because they also put in countless hours to make sure this 
entire system continued to operate.
  Obviously those who committed these heinous crimes in the United 
States wanted our system not to operate, but the people's House has 
continued and has continued to be open and has done so because again of 
the courageous people.
  Mr. Speaker, again this is a very important and serious resolution, 
and we

[[Page H1517]]

also want to recognize again all of our officers of Capitol Hill, 
everybody that played a part in doing their job and the tremendous 
sacrifices. This resolution is geared towards today the Guard, and the 
Guard has left the Capitol complex, and so we want to honor them, we 
want to thank them; and for this, our country is grateful. I cannot 
thank them enough for their hard work and assistance in the challenging 
months.
  I urge full support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I support, clearly, the gentleman from Ohio's (Mr. Ney) motion and 
congratulate him for bringing this matter to the floor in such a timely 
fashion.
  For 5 months, Mr. Speaker, more than 130 men and women of the 
District of Columbia National Guard stood watch here at the Capitol 
complex alongside our own Capitol Police. They superbly assisted the 
Capitol Police in the discharge of their principal duty, which is to 
enable Congress to operate securely in the discharge of its 
constitutional responsibilities.
  With the support of the National Guard Bureau and the Department of 
Defense, the men and women of the District of Columbia Guard helped 
make it possible for Congress to continue its work. For that, all 
Members are thankful.
  The men and women of the Guard also enabled our Capitol Police to 
have some measure of much needed rest and relief. Even with the Guard's 
help, Capitol Police officers worked 12-hour shifts during the last 7 
months, most for 6 days a week. I hope all the Members heard that 
because it is not appropriate that we allow that to continue. It is not 
appropriate for our security. It is not appropriate for the safety of 
our men and women in the Capitol Police. It is not appropriate for 
their families.
  Fortunately, that grueling schedule has somewhat subsided. It 
doubtless would have been even more demanding, however, without the 
assistance of the diligent, dedicated Guardsmen and -women, and for 
that, as I said, we are most thankful.
  Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the District of Columbia Guard 
distinguished themselves in this undertaking. They discharged this 
extraordinary duty with diligence, professionalism, dedication and good 
humor. I will include at this point in the Record a complete list of 
their names.

                   Task Force Capitol Guardian (DCNG)

       Abele, Timothy, SPC, Addison, Mark, SGT, Aiken, Anthony, 
     SPC, Allen, Tekeshia, OC, Armstrong, John, SSG, Atkinson, 
     Anthony, SSG, Baird, Gordan, SFC, Baker, Anthony, SSG, 
     Barnes, Samuel, SPC, Belton, Karla, SPC, Bennett, Carolyn, 
     SGT, Black, John, SPC, Blankenship, Todd, CPL, Bloodworth, 
     Stephen, SSG, Brooks, Geoffry, MAJ, Brown, Anthony, SFC, 
     Bryan, Rosemary, SPC, Cammon, Melvin, SGT, Carr, Jerry, SGT, 
     Clark, Karen, SPC.
       Clemons, Rodney, SGT, Clinton, Jerry, SSG, Coates, 
     Elizabeth, SPC, Coles, Christopher, CPL, Coley, Antonio, SSG, 
     Cotton, Chandler, SGT, Cradie, Tavar, PFC, Dancy, Julius, 
     SGT, Davis, Derwin, SPC, Davis, Michael, MSG, Day, Albert, 
     SPC, Douglas, Kirk, SGT, Doye, James, SSG, Elmore, Albert, 
     SGT, Emiabata, Abayomi, SFC, Espinosa, Angelo, SPC, Fenton, 
     Keith, SSG, Frost, Dwayne, SPC, Goodwin, Shannon, SSG, 
     Graham, James, SGT.
       Gray, Devon, 1LT, Green, Marion, SGT, Hailstalk, Jacelyn, 
     SPC, Hall, Robert, SGT, Harris, David, SGT, Hayes, Stephanie, 
     SPC, Height, Ramonz, SSG, Henry, Alvin, SFC, Hill, David, 
     SPC, Hill, Steven, SGT, Hinaman, Arthur W., LTC, Hoffman, 
     Mary, SPC, Hudson, Leonard, SFC, Hughes, Rachel, 1LT, 
     Hutchins, James, SPC, Jackson, Anthony, MAJ, Jackson, 
     William, SFC, Jenkins, Deron, SGT, Johnson, Dennis, 1SG, 
     Johnson, Trinette, SPC.
       Jones, John, SPC, Jones, Rasheeda, SPC, Jones, William, 
     SPC, Kinley, Roland, MSG, Lancaster, Arthur, SPC, Lawton, 
     Denny, SSG, Lee, Dennis, SGT, Lewis, Timothy, SPC, Luu, The 
     Khai, 2LT, Magruder, Paulette, SFC, Mason, Kenneth, SPC, 
     Maynard, Arturo, SGT, McArthur, Charlie, SGT, McGrath, 
     Joseph, 1LT, McKinnis, Francis, PFC, McLaurin, Joann, SSG, 
     McMillian, Charles, SGT, Metts, Nathaniel, SSG, Mickens, 
     George, SGT, Miles, Robert, SSG.
       Minor, William, SSG, Mitchell, Juan, SSG, Muhammad, 
     Franacine, SPC, Nathan, William, SPC, Nelson, Cartone, SPC, 
     Newman, Agnes, SGT, Nicholson, Maurice, SPC, Parker, Dwight, 
     SPC, Patterson, Rodney, MAJ, Pollard, Shanita, SPC, Powell, 
     Steven, SFC, Prailow, Melvin, SPC, Prat, Glynn, SFC, Queen, 
     Denise, SGT, Queen, Mark, SGM, Ramdat, Awadit, SGT, 
     Richardson, Vicki, SPC, Robinson, Aaron, SPC, Robinson, 
     Lawrence, SPC, Roy, Chris, SGT.
       Samuel, Rodger, SSG, Scott, Jay, SPC, Semper, George, SSG, 
     Shirk, Terrence, SFC, Shuford, Robert, SSG, Singleton, Nebra, 
     SGT, Smith, Rudolph, SFC, Spencer, Rodney, SFC, Steedly, 
     Mark, SGT, Sterling, Karen, SSG, Summers, William, SPC, 
     Sutton, Tamara, SGT, Taylor, Ramon, SSG, Taylor, Regina, SSG, 
     Taylor, Ronald, SGT, Terry, Melvin, SSG, Thomas, Aretha, SPC, 
     Travers, Victor, SPC, Turner, Gary, SPC, Tyler, Edward, SGT.
       Valdivia, Gerard, 2LT, Walker, Sharon, SSG, Warren, Ralph, 
     SFC, Washington, Trina, SGT, Watson, David, SFC, Wellington, 
     Larry, SSG, Wells, William, SSG, White, Quion, SPC, Whitley, 
     Vanessa, SGT, Wiggens, Donald, SPC, Wilkins, Ricardo, SGT, 
     Williams, Angela, SPC, Williams, Edward, SPC, Wilson, Jack, 
     SGT, Wilson, Lashon, SPC, Wilson, Morris, SGT, Wilson, 
     Reggie, SPC, Woodall, Brian, SSG, Young, David, SGT, 
     Zollicoffer, Randolph, SSG, Freeman, Warren L., MG--DCNG 
     Commanding General.

  They brought honor upon themselves as individuals and upon the 
District of Columbia and the National Guard. They also brought honor 
upon this Capitol, managed in a very efficient, effective, secure way.
  The National Guard, of course, is a cornerstone of our national 
defense establishment, and these men and women represented it well. We 
greatly appreciate the willingness of men and women from every walk of 
life to serve when needed, at home and abroad, to help keep this Nation 
free and secure.
  The National Guardsmen and -women who served here at the Capitol have 
now resumed their normal duties. They certainly deserve the salute of 
this House. This resolution, Mr. Speaker, commends the Guard, the Guard 
Bureau, and the Defense Department for a job well done. It records 
their contribution to the security of our democracy.
  I note that this resolution resembles one introduced by the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis) on April 10. The fact that multiple 
resolutions have been introduced demonstrates the affection and 
gratitude Members have for the men and women whom we met and who served 
our Nation and our Capitol.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge every Member to support this motion, as I am sure 
they will.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I also wanted to commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and 
also the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) and all the other 
cosponsors, 104, but those two have worked diligently to bring this 
issue to the forefront, and I want to give them the credit. They are 
very concerned, as all Members are.
  Let me note one thing, too, a statement the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Hoyer) mentioned. He is correct; there is going to be a 
cooperative working relationship, as we have had all year long and 
during this crisis, of our staffs to look at those hours because the 
gentleman from Maryland is completely correct about those hours and the 
safety and security of the Capitol, but those were countless hours I 
had mentioned. But we owe an obligation to the officers and to the 
staff of the Hill and the visitors to look at those hours and to do 
something with them. We pledge that we are going to do that.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella), my distinguished colleague.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman not only for 
yielding me the time but for his sponsorship of this resolution that 
has a great significance. I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Hoyer) also for his sponsorship of it, and all of the people who 
are speaking for it, and all of the Members of the House who care about 
the kind of service that we have received from the District of Columbia 
National Guard.
  I am pleased to be here to give thanks to the members of the District 
of Columbia's National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the 
Department of Defense. For nearly 5 months the men and women of the 
District of Columbia Army National Guard answered the call of duty to 
help protect the Nation's Capitol complex, and they did it with grace, 
efficiency, and thoroughness. They watched over us 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, compiling an incredible total of 207,120 hours of work 
over 150 days.
  This was time away from their loved ones, time away from their places 
of employment, time they spent in service to their country, and we are 
deeply grateful for that service.

[[Page H1518]]

  The members of the D.C. Army National Guard, specifically the 260th 
Military Police Command, the 260th Regional Training Institute, the 
74th Troop Command, the Headquarters District Area Regional Command, 
and the 33rd Civil Support Team, all worked alongside the officers of 
the Capitol Police to whom we also owe a great debt of thanks. The 
officers of the Capitol Police Department performed under a heavy 
burden, protecting the Capitol complex under a crisis situation and 
logging many, many long days in the process.
  When it came time to give the men and women of the Capitol Police 
some much needed help, the National Guard was there. The fact that 
these two entities, the National Guard and the Capitol Police, were 
able to work together so seamlessly is a testament to the 
professionalism of both of them. This represented a new situation for 
both agencies, and they adapted well to a tough assignment.
  I am honored to be here today to be able to publicly thank them for 
their service.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about the Washington, 
D.C., National Guard. I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who represents 
the District so very, very well.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I first thank the gentleman from Maryland 
for yielding me this time. He knows, I am sure, what it means to me and 
to the residents of the District of Columbia that the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) have 
provided such thoughtful leadership in bringing forward this resolution 
in honor of our D.C. National Guard, the Guard Bureau, and the Defense 
Department, and I want to focus in on the 131 members of the D.C. 
National Guard whose sacrifice of time spent with their families and of 
career advancement was so important to us for the last 5 months.

                              {time}  1930

  I do not think anybody will ever call them weekend warriors again, 
not considering the hours they put in for us.
  And who were they? It is very hard to somehow make us all understand 
precisely who these young men and women were. I went to a ceremony in 
honor of them on their last day, but think of their representatives as 
being Sergeant Charles McMillian, who lives in Esther Place, Southeast, 
has one daughter; or Specialist Elizabeth Coates, who has served for 17 
years, is married, and lives in Northeast Washington; or of Sergeant 
Trina Washington, with 20 years of service, two children, and who lives 
in Northeast Washington.
  When you have been in the service that long and you have a life, you 
are certainly not prepared for what we called upon these Guards people 
to do. What you are prepared for is what they do or have done for us in 
the District of Columbia. They are much revered and honored in our 
city. They were there during the civil defense operations as a part of 
the 2001 IMF World Bank demonstration. They expect that kind of duty. 
They expected to be on duty during the Y2K transition. They knew they 
would be called in the blizzard of 1996. But they could never have 
dreamed that they would be helping in round-the-clock service to the 
Capitol of the United States.
  Our Capitol Police were working 10 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
Murderous hours. We have heard the Chair and the ranking member speak 
about how we are going to do something about that, but could not do 
something about it right away. There was no place to turn, no place to 
go; and so we turned to the National Guard, who in the history of this 
country have probably never had anything like this kind of duty.
  Their presence was so important. Their presence, along with that of 
the Capitol Police, restored a sense of calm and confidence in this 
place, especially to staff. Members had no reason, they are elected, 
they are supposed to have a sense of calm and confidence no matter what 
happens to this place, but the many number of people who serve us as 
staff I do not think their parents sent them here to see them panicked 
about whether or not this place would be safe. Nothing, in fact, was 
more reassuring than coming to work and being greeted by the Capitol 
Police and the D.C. National Guard. Somehow you thought everything was 
going to be all right when you saw them there.
  I want us to remember that these people had a life, had full-time 
careers, some were very young, many were at the height of their 
careers; and not only were their careers put on hold but their lives 
were put on hold. When the Capitol Police did the very same thing, this 
Congress came forward with a concurrent resolution. The Capitol Police 
are favorites of mine. I live with them 7 days a week, and I know what 
they do for this place; but I must say that I think it is especially 
appropriate for the Congress today to do for the Guard what we have 
already done in expressing our appreciation for the Capitol Police.
  It is difficult to know how 440 Members of the House and 100 Members 
of the Senate can say thank you. I think that a concurrent resolution, 
always reserved for extraordinary performance, is an appropriate way; 
and that is the kind of thank you that we give the National Guard 
today.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), who had a similar 
resolution expressing a similar sentiment.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to first of all thank the 
gentleman from Maryland for yielding me this time, and I rise today in 
support of H. Con. Res. 378, to honor the men and women of the District 
of Columbia's National Guard for their extraordinary service and 
assistance to the United States Capitol Police.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for their leadership in bringing 
this legislation to the floor to commend the D.C. National Guard for 
their assistance after the attacks of September 11 and the anthrax 
attacks on the Capitol. And, Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank and 
acknowledge the gentleman from California (Mr. Istook) for his efforts 
and commitment in paying tribute to the National Guard's dedication to 
the Capitol by also introducing a similar resolution April 10, 2002, 
with over 120 cosponsors.
  Mr. Speaker, I also introduced a similar resolution, as has been 
noted, on April 10, 2002, the final service day of these men and women, 
because I felt it was only appropriate for my fellow colleagues and I 
to pay homage to the men and women protecting our lives and our 
Nation's Capitol. There were a total of 220 men and women from the D.C. 
National Guard who assisted the Capitol Police from November 12, 2001, 
to April 10, 2002. These men and women worked a remarkable 207,120 
hours in 150 days by providing perimeter security, barricade support, 
and vehicular inspection 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
  As has already been noted, Mr. Speaker, they sacrificed their 
holidays, weekends, and time with their families to ensure the safety 
of the Capitol. In addition to lending their resources to the Nation's 
Capitol, the D.C. National Guard has also played significant roles in 
our Nation's past armed conflicts, such as World War II, Operation 
Desert Storm, and Operation Joint Endeavor.
  I join with my colleagues in sending my deepest gratitude to the 
units involved in protecting the Nation's Capitol: the 260th MP 
Command, the 74th Troop Command, the 260th Regional Training Institute, 
the Headquarters District Area Regional Command, the 121st Criminal 
Investigation Detachment, and the 33rd Civil Support Team for their 
extraordinary service, their protection of the U.S. Capitol, the safety 
of the Members of Congress, congressional staff, and visitors to the 
U.S. Capitol, and for their assistance to the Capitol Police.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to congratulate the D.C. National Guard, who 
will be celebrating their 200th year in service next week on May 3rd. 
Again, I urge all Members of this honorable body to support this 
resolution and convey once again to the D.C. National Guard our 
gratitude for the tremendous service that they have provided to all of 
us as well as to the Nation.
  Once again, Mr. Speaker, I thank and commend the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time and 
thank the gentleman from Illinois for his very appropriate comments.

[[Page H1519]]

  We reiterate that we owe a debt of gratitude to these men and women 
of the D.C. National Guard and thank them for their service.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Forbes). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 378.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________