[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 96 (Tuesday, July 16, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S6861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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COMMENDING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD, THE NATIONAL GUARD 
              BUREAU, AND THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today in support of H. Con. 
Res. 378, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent on July 12, 
2002. This resolution 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.
  I would like to thank all of those who worked tirelessly for almost 
five months in response to the heightened state of emergency in the 
Capitol complex following the terrorist and anthrax attacks of 
September and October 2001.
  We owe so much to the over 140 members of the District of Columbia 
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, who answered the call to duty to assist the Capitol Police in 
protecting the Capitol complex. We here in the Capitol saw firsthand 
the cooperation between the National Guard and the Capitol Police. This 
time presented a challenging assignment for all involved, and the 
combined efforts of these two agencies served as a model for managing 
such a difficult situation.
  Because of these men and women, we were protected around the clock 
and the activities in the Capitol were secure. Members of Congress, 
congressional employees, and visitors were confident of their safety 
here, and we were able to continue to serve the American people.
  The dedication of the District of Columbia National Guard came at a 
price. These men and women worked an extreme number of hours under 
difficult conditions. The time they spent in order to serve their 
country was time away from their loved ones, and we are grateful for 
the personal sacrifices they made for our nation.
  During the course of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln came to 
Washington as the new president. The States began to divide into the 
Confederacy and the Union. When he arrived, this Capitol dome which you 
see outside was under construction. Many people went to the President 
and said: Mr. President, we can't afford to wage a war and build this 
Capitol dome. He said: ``Yes, we can, because that Capitol dome 
represents the unity of this country and what we will be after this 
war.'' During the Civil War, he continued the construction of that 
great dome we see today. And Lincoln was right.
  The National Guard protected not only the people within the Capitol 
complex, but the complex itself and the unity, liberty, and freedom it 
represents. I am honored to support this resolution commending the work 
of the District of Columbia National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, 
and the entire Department of Defense, and I extend my personal 
gratitude for their service.

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