[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 64 (Monday, May 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H3273-H3275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 266) supporting the goals and ideals 
of Peace Officers Memorial Day.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 266

       Whereas the well-being of all people of the United States 
     is preserved and enhanced as a direct result of the vigilance 
     and dedication of law enforcement personnel;
       Whereas more than 870,000 law enforcement personnel, the 
     highest amount ever in the United States, serve their fellow 
     citizens as guardians of peace;
       Whereas peace officers are on the front line in preserving 
     the right of the children of the United States to receive an 
     education in a crime-free environment, a right that is all 
     too often threatened by the insidious fear caused by violence 
     in schools;
       Whereas 153 peace officers across the Nation were killed in 
     the line of duty during 2004, well below the decade-long 
     average of 165 deaths annually, and a major drop from 2001 
     when 230 officers were killed, including 72 officers in the 
     September 11th terrorist attacks;
       Whereas every year, a law enforcement officer is killed 
     somewhere in the United States every 53 hours, and there are 
     also 56,000 assaults against our law officers each year, 
     resulting in 17,000 injuries;
       Whereas section 136 of title 36, United States Code, 
     requests that the President issue each year a proclamation 
     designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of 
     Federal, State, and local officers killed or disabled in the 
     line of duty; and
       Whereas on May 13, 2005, more than 20,000 peace officers 
     are expected to gather in Washington, D.C. to join with the 
     families of their recently fallen comrades to honor those 
     comrades and all others who went before them: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of Peace Officers 
     Memorial Day to honor Federal, State, and local peace 
     officers killed or disabled in the line of duty; and
       (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
     such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Miller) and the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).

[[Page H3274]]

  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in support of House Resolution 
266 that supports the goals and the ideals of Peace Officers Memorial 
Day.
  This occasion is a day of remembrance of all Federal, State, and 
local law enforcement officials who were killed or disabled in the line 
of duty during the past year.
  Peace Officers Memorial Day highlights National Police Week, which is 
observed with several events in Washington this week, from May 15 
through May 21. More than 20,000 peace officers and their families are 
expected to congregate here in the Nation's Capital for National Police 
Week 2005.
  Mr. Speaker, on October 1, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed 
into law legislation that designates both May 15 as National Peace 
Officers Memorial Day, and the week containing May 15 as National 
Police Officers Week.
  However, the first National Peace Officers Memorial Day service was 
not officially held until May 15, 1982, and since then May 15 has 
indeed been a solemn date on the law enforcement calendar.
  In addition to the focus of the observance here in Washington, 
National Police Week is also recognized by police officers across the 
country. And since we all witnessed police officers' indescribable 
bravery on September 11, 2001, Americans have intensified their 
appreciation for the men and women of our Nation's law enforcement.
  These courageous individuals are the essential parts of our entire 
homeland security effort. They deserve to be thanked by each and every 
one of us for the protection that they provide and for the freedom that 
they ensure.
  Peace officers are true American heroes. Mr. Speaker, I certainly 
want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley), a 
great friend of law enforcement, for sponsoring House Resolution 266.
  Mr. Speaker, I am confident that all of my colleagues will join the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley) and myself in supporting this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, each day peace officers nobly protect our families, 
friends, and neighbors from crime. Peace officers work to improve the 
quality of life for all of us. For that, they deserve our sincere 
appreciation and respect.
  While it is impossible to suitably thank these brave Americans for 
the tremendous sacrifices they make, we pause this week to salute them 
for their courage, dedication and service, and to pay our respects for 
those who have fallen in the line of duty.
  Currently, more than 850,000 men and women guard our communities, and 
do so at great risk. Each year in the United States, one in 15 officers 
is assaulted, one in 46 officers is injured, and one in every 5,255 
officers is killed in the line of duty. In total, more than 17,500 men 
and women have made the ultimate sacrifice.
  In 2004, 154 law enforcement officers died while serving in the line 
of duty, well below the decade-long average of 169 deaths annually, and 
well below the 2001 total of 237.
  A number of factors have contributed to this reduction, including 
better equipment, increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved 
training, and advanced emergency medical care.
  But the work of peace officers continues to take the lives of too 
many men and women who work to ensure our safety. So far this year, 42 
peace officers have been killed in the line of duty.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the goals and ideals of Peace Officers 
Memorial Day to honor Federal, State, and local peace officers killed 
or disabled in the line of duty; and I call upon the people of the 
United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and 
respect.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would urge all Members to 
support the adoption of House Resolution 266.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a supporter of 
H. Res. 266, which supports the goals and ideals of Peace Officers 
Memorial Day. I want to thank Mr. Hefley for introducing this necessary 
recognition of our peace officers and the sacrifice they make everyday 
for Americans. I hope everyone in this Nation will take the time to 
observe Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor Federal, State, and local 
peace officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
  Today, more than 870,000 law enforcement personnel, the highest 
amount ever in the United States, serve their fellow citizens as 
guardians of peace. Unfortunately, while these brave men and women seek 
to keep the peace they are too often taken by the violence they are 
working to prevent. Every year, a law enforcement officer is killed 
somewhere in the United States every 53 hours, and there are also 
56,000 assaults against our law officers each year, resulting in 17,000 
injuries. I want to take a moment to honor the law enforcement officers 
from the City of Houston who day in and day out work to keep my 
constituents safe. Last Friday on May 13, 2005, more than 20,000 peace 
officers gathered here in Washington, DC to join with the families of 
their recently fallen comrades to honor those comrades and all others 
who went before them. I wish to join them in this recognition of the 
brave and honorable law enforcement officers who served this Nation 
despite the danger.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives will 
overwhelmingly support H. Res. 266, a resolution that pays tribute to 
Peace Officers Memorial Day, which took place yesterday. This is a 
special day to honor those law enforcement officers who have fallen or 
become disabled in the line of duty. As a former officer with the 
Michigan State Police and Escanaba City Police Department as well as 
founder and co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus, I am a proud 
cosponsor of this Resolution and want to thank my colleague 
Representative Hefley for introducing it once again this year.
  The House will also overwhelmingly support H.R. 2107, a bill that 
requires the maintenance of the National Law Enforcement Officers 
Memorial in Washington, DC and provides for the addition of the names 
of those in law enforcement who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
  Last Friday at the 17th Annual Candlelight Vigil, more than 20,000 
family members, law enforcement officers, and friends of law 
enforcement gathered at this Memorial to respect, honor, and remember 
the 153 law enforcement heroes who in 2004 made the ultimate sacrifice.
  Since September 11, 2001, many in this nation and this Congress have 
come to recognize the importance of the sacrifices made by our law 
enforcement officers. Every day these men and women protect and serve, 
often putting their own lives at risk.
  Peace Officers Memorial Day brings us together to honor the sacrifice 
our nation's law enforcement and public safety officers make to our 
communities and our nation every day.
  It is important as we discuss and pass both H. Res. 266 and H.R. 2107 
that we must also resolve to provide our public safety officers the 
resources they need to meet the daily challenges of their jobs--
especially at a time when we have placed greater demands on them to 
fight and prevent terrorist threats. We can do that by fully funding 
important grant programs such as COPS, Byrne, and Local Law Enforcement 
Block Grants.
  These programs allow our local agencies to buy essential protective 
gear, hire the officers that they need, and obtain all the resources 
they must have to make themselves and our communities safe.
  Congress can provide these resources through grants, especially the 
Community Oriented Policing Services or ``COPS'' program. This program 
was so successful that it helped to put 100,000 cops on the street 
under President Clinton. It is critical that Congress fully fund this 
program!
  Unfortunately, the President's budget devastates the COPS program, 
requesting only $117.8 million for this important program. That is a 
$381.2 million cut below last year's level!
  The President's budget also zeroes out the Edward Byrne Memorial 
Justice Assistance grant program that provides funding for 19 different 
programs for counter-drug initiatives in rural communities. These 
grants are used to administer vital programs such as multi-
jurisdictional drug enforcement teams, anti-drug education programs, 
treatment programs and alternative sentencing initiatives.

  If enacted, the President's budget cuts will have far reaching 
effects on our local communities. Local drug enforcement teams are 
crucial to keeping our communities drug free. If Byrne Grants are 
zeroed out they will be unable to hire the officers they need to 
sustain their drug enforcement teams.
  And let me tell you--when it comes to drug abuse, no community--urban 
or rural--is immune to this problem. To highlight how important these 
local teams are to our rural districts, take a look at this article 
from a local paper in

[[Page H3275]]

my First Congressional District of Michigan. On April 13th the Huron 
Undercover Narcotics Team seized 3,000 Oxycontin tablets from a home in 
the rural county of Presque Isle. This is just one example of the 
critical work these Narcotics Teams do everyday to keep our communities 
safe.
  This Country's Drug problems are not going away. In fact, with the 
emergence of prescription drugs used and dealt illegally like 
Oxycontin, some would argue the problems are getting worse. My question 
is why are we zeroing out the funding that enables programs like the 
Huron Undercover Narcotics Team to exist and combat this problem that 
is only growing more severe?
  We also need to provide assistance to help regional law enforcement 
and first responders talk to each other in times of emergency. My bill, 
H.R. 1323 ``The Public Safety Interoperability Implementation Act'', 
would provide grants to local law enforcement agencies to modernize 
their communication systems and become interoperable. These are the 
kinds of resources and tools I'm talking about!! We need to do 
everything possible to ensure that our law enforcement officers are 
fully interoperable.
  Currently, firefighters and law enforcement officials may not be able 
to communicate with each other even if they work in the same 
jurisdiction. The tragic events of September 11th illustrated why it is 
so important that our law enforcement officials are fully 
interoperable. 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers lost 
their lives in the WorId Trade Center on September 11th. 121 of these 
brave firefighters lost their lives due to fact that they were unable 
to talk to each other.
  When our first responders are confronted with an emergency situation, 
it is absolutely necessary that they are able to communicate with one 
another so they can fully assess the situation and how best to handle 
it. These are the kind of resources and tools our first responders 
need. We need to do everything possible to ensure that our law 
enforcement officers that play an integral role in our nations anti-
terrorism efforts are fully interoperable.
  We also need to ensure that programs like Thin Blue Line are fully 
funded. The Thin Blue Line is a non-profit, volunteer organization that 
assists and supports the families of injured or deceased officers of 
law enforcement agencies. Thin Blue Line began in Michigan and is now 
beginning to expand throughout the nation. Thin Blue Line volunteers 
assist families with applying for benefits, counseling, and answering 
their question during the most difficult of circumstances. These 
officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and their 
families deserve to be honored, respected, and supported any way we 
can.
  I am hopeful that we can continue to show our commitment to law 
enforcement by supporting their important funding needs as well as 
supporting these important pieces of legislation. It is the least we 
can do for those who put their lives on the line for us everyday.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 266.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________