[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2885-H2886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR THE NATIONAL PEACE 
                       OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 308) authorizing the use of the 
Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 308

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL PEACE 
                   OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of 
     Police and its auxiliary (in this resolution referred to as 
     the ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor a public 
     event, the 27th annual National Peace Officers' Memorial 
     Service (in this resolution referred to as the ``event''), on 
     the Capitol Grounds, in order to honor the law enforcement 
     officers who died in the line of duty during 2007.
       (b) Date of Event.--The event shall be held on May 15, 
     2008, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the 
     Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the 
     event shall be--
       (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
       (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, 
     the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds 
     such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment, as may be required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, 
     United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, 
     displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well 
     as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in 
     connection with the event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 308.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 308 authorizes the use of 
the Capitol Grounds for the 27th National Peace Officers' Memorial 
Service. Statistics from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial 
Fund indicate that, in 2007, 181 officers died in the line of duty, and 
they will be honored at this year's memorial service.
  On average, in the United States a peace officer is killed every 53 
hours. Sadly, these numbers make 2007 one of the deadliest years for 
peace officers. Five officers were women. Forty States plus the 
District of Columbia experienced officer fatalities in 2007; 13 States 
had five or more fatalities.
  In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which 
designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which 
that date falls as Police Week.
  The first official Memorial Service took place on May 15, 1982, at 
which 91 law enforcement officers were honored. Over the past 27 years, 
the Memorial Service has honored over 3,000 law enforcement officers 
from around our Nation. Today, the National Peace Officers' Memorial 
Service on Capitol Hill has become one in a series of well-attended 
events during Police Week.
  Activities on the Capitol Grounds conducted under H. Con. Res. 308 
will be coordinated with the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, 
will be free

[[Page H2886]]

and open to the public. I support this resolution and urge its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  House Concurrent Resolution 308 authorizes the use of the Capitol 
Grounds for the annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service to be 
held Thursday, May 15, 2008, as was pointed out. The National Peace 
Officers' Memorial Service will pay tribute to the 191 officers killed 
in the line of duty during 2007 and years prior.
  Since 1962, this ceremony, sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the 
Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary, has honored fallen 
Federal, State, and local officers and their families.
  This year will be the 28th time the memorial service has been held on 
the grounds of the Capitol. The events of National Police Week lead up 
to the annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service with honors for the 
fallen officers.
  This year, National Police Week will run from Sunday, May 11, through 
Saturday, May 17, with events around the country and here in 
Washington, D.C. The families and colleagues of officers killed in duty 
will gather to remember and honor the men and women who protect our 
communities.
  One of the fallen officers who will be recognized this year is Deputy 
Sheriff Charles Cook from Missouri. Deputy Cook served the Buchanan 
County Sheriffs Office honorably for 3 years before his death in the 
line of duty. It is entirely appropriate to honor on the floor of the 
House the service and sacrifice of Deputy Cook and the other officers 
who have lost their lives serving and protecting our communities and 
our country.
  The service and the other events of National Police Week are valuable 
reminders of the sacrifices of many of our Nation's police officers and 
their families. I encourage my colleagues to attend the National Peace 
Officers' Memorial Service, to pay tribute to the fallen officers, and 
recognize the individuals nationwide who put their lives at risk every 
day for the safety of our communities. I support the measure and would 
encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 308, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds 
for the 27th National Peace Officers' Memorial Service. More than 150 
Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers killed in the line 
of duty in 2007 will be honored at this Memorial Service. According to 
the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 181 officers died 
in the line of duty in 2007. Five officers were women. Forty States and 
the District of Columbia experienced officer fatalities in 2007. 
Thirteen States had five or more fatalities.
  In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which 
designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in 
which that date falls as ``Police Week''. The first official memorial 
service took place on May 15, 1982, at which 91 law enforcement 
officers were honored. Over the past 27 years, the Memorial Service has 
honored more than 3,000 law enforcement officers from around our 
nation. Today, the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service on Capitol 
Hill has become one in a series of well attended events during Police 
Week.
  Activities on the Capitol Grounds conducted under H. Con. Res. 308 
will be coordinated with the Architect of the Capitol, will be free, 
and open to the public.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 308.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 308, which authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.
  Peace officers, the sworn, public-sector officers entrusted with law 
enforcement authority and the power of arrest, risk their lives daily 
to protect our nation. These individuals, who are responsible for 
safeguarding the rights and freedoms we enjoy as Americans, are true 
heroes.
  Peace Officers Memorial Day honors those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice for the safety and security of their communities and our 
nation. Created by Public Law 87-726, signed by President Kennedy in 
1962, this day gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and pay our 
respects to those who, through their courageous deeds, have fallen in 
the line of duty.
  Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, May 15, 2008, our nation will come together 
to honor, remember and record those law enforcement officers who were 
killed in the line of duty during the year of 2007. Mr. Speaker, one of 
the names of the fallen heroes added to the list last year was Officer 
Rodney J. Johnson of the Houston Police Department. Officer Johnson, a 
12 year veteran of the Houston Police Department, was killed September 
21, 2006, while taking a suspect in custody during a traffic stop. He 
leaves to honor his memory his beloved wife, Houston Police Department 
Officer Joslyn Johnson, and five teen-age children; three daughters and 
two sons, ages 14 to 19.
  Officer Rodney Johnson was born in Houston and served in the U.S. 
Army as a military police officer until being honorably discharged in 
1990. He then went to work as a corrections officer for the Texas 
Department of Criminal Justice and then as a jail attendant. He 
graduated from the Houston police academy in 1994.
  As a member of the department's Southeast Gang Task Force, Officer 
Rodney Johnson earned two Lifesaving Awards and one Medal of Valor from 
the state of Texas. In January 1998, Officer Rodney Johnson rescued a 
physically challenged driver trapped in rising floodwaters in January 
1998 and later that year he rescued mentally challenged people trapped 
inside of a burning house.
  Officer Rodney Johnson, who stood 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 
nearly 300 pounds, served on his union's board of directors. As Hans 
Marticiuc, the president of Officer Johnson's union stated, ``he was 
big and he was intimidating-looking, but he was as gentle as a baby 
bear.''
  Although the number of officers killed in the line of duty has 
declined in recent years, the fact that one officer is killed every 
two-and-a-half days in our country is a sober reminder that protecting 
our communities and safeguarding our democracy come at a heavy price. 
Last year, the total number of law enforcement officers killed in the 
line of duty was represented by 17,917 names engraved on the Memorial, 
representing officers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US 
territories, and federal law enforcement and military police agencies.
  This resolution permits the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of 
Police and its auxiliary to sponsor a free public event, the 27th 
Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, on the Capitol 
grounds on May 15, 2008. This service will honor the law enforcement 
officers killed in the line of duty during 2007 who have died in the 
line of duty, as well as the 800,000 officers who continue to serve in 
Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies nationwide.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important resolution.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 308.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CARNEY. 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.

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