[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 82 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4081-H4083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1132) supporting the goals and ideals of Peace 
Officers Memorial Day.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1132

       Whereas there are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement 
     officers now serving in the United States;
       Whereas law enforcement officers selflessly protect our 
     communities and our country from harm;
       Whereas law enforcement officers serve the country 
     regardless of the peril to themselves;
       Whereas more than 18,200 law enforcement officers have been 
     killed in the line of duty since the first recorded police 
     death in 1792;
       Whereas, September 11, 2001, was the deadliest day in law 
     enforcement history with 72 officers killed while responding 
     to the terrorist attacks;
       Whereas 181 law enforcement officers were killed in 2007;
       Whereas Public Law 87-726 designates May 15th of each year 
     as Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is 
     commemorated during the calendar week of May 15;
       Whereas section 7(m) of title 4, United States Code, 
     requires that the United States flag on all government 
     buildings to be displayed at half-staff on May 15, National 
     Peace Officers Memorial Day; and

[[Page H4082]]

       Whereas law enforcement officers deserve the gratitude of 
     this Nation for their service: 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 
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, I'm pleased to join my colleagues in 
the consideration of H. Res. 1132, which seeks to commemorate the 
selfless men and women who serve as law enforcement officers around our 
country. Their service is crucial to the protection of Americans 
everywhere, and their daily sacrifice is what helps to guarantee our 
right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
  H. Res. 1132 was introduced by Ted Poe of Texas on April 22, 2008, 
and was considered by and reported from the Oversight Committee on May 
1, 2008 by voice vote. This legislative measure has the support of over 
65 Members of Congress, and its principal purpose is to show our 
appreciation for the risk that 900,000-plus sworn law enforcement 
officers face daily in their service to communities throughout the 
United States.
  In this past year alone, our country has lost over 180 law 
enforcement officers in the line of duty, and while just last week many 
of their fellow officers descended upon our Nation's Capital for 
National Police Week in remembrance of these fallen heroes, today, we, 
in the Congress also take a moment to express our gratitude for these 
courageous Americans by recognizing Peace Officers Memorial Day.
  Therefore, it is with humble gratitude that we salute and we thank 
our country's peace officers, as well as remember those officers who 
gave their life in service and protection of ours.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the swift passage of H. Res. 1132 and reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I had the 
opportunity to vote it out of our committee week before last. We did so 
with full expectation that it would be on the floor last week, as has 
been traditional when law enforcement leaders come from around the 
country for our peace officers gathering.
  It's with great trepidation that I support this, but also note that 
the partisan nature of our body, which has always caused this bill, in 
the past, to be up for that week so that the men and women could sit in 
the gallery and observe our recognition of the important work they do, 
did not happen. I would hope this is the last time that resolutions 
like this are held because, quote, we wouldn't get to them with all the 
recorded votes. The men and women, the 56,000-plus who are assaulted 
every year, the 181 who died last year, up from 151 the year before, 
they deserve our recognition in a timely fashion. They deserve our 
constant support. They deserve not to be part of partisan infighting.
  I believe that, in fact, most of us in the Congress, including the 
gentlelady from California, shares with me the nonpartisan support for 
our law enforcement people.
  I might additionally recognize at this time, that law enforcement is 
not only around the country, but it's also right here in the Capitol. 
We in the Congress could not do our business in an orderly fashion if 
it wasn't for the Capitol Hill Police who stand vigilantly with large 
weapons against an attack and, on a daily basis, ensure that the tens 
of thousands of people who come to see the Capitol are able to do so 
without interfering with the operations of this body.
  So in the jobs large and small I would like to join with the 
gentlelady in asking for this bill to be passed, but I'd also like to 
recognize the men and women of the Capitol Hill Police.
  H. Res. 1132 supports the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial 
Day to honor federal, state, and local law enforcement officers killed 
in the line of duty, and encourages the citizens of the United States 
to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.
  Law enforcement officers face dangers on the job every single day 
while fighting crime, violence and terrorism. On May 17, 1792, New York 
City's Deputy Sheriff, Isaac Smith, became the first police officer to 
be recorded as killed in the line of duty. Today, more than 56,000 
officers are assaulted each year and just this past year, in 2007, 181 
officers were killed while serving the American people.
  Last year was one of the deadliest years for U.S. law enforcement in 
nearly two decades. The number of officers killed in the line of duty 
last year increased nearly 20 percent from 2006, when there were 151 
officer deaths.
  There is a quote by President George H.W. Bush engraved on the 
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, located at Judiciary Square 
here in D.C. that summarizes the mission of the 900,000 current sworn 
law enforcement officers in the United States. It states that it is 
their daily ``quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to 
protect a national treasure that we call the American dream.''
  May 15 was Peace Officers Memorial Day, a holiday created in 1961, by 
Congress to pay homage to the fallen law enforcement officers who have 
dedicated their lives to protecting this country and its citizens. On 
this day the flag is flown at half-staff and thousands of people visit 
the National Law Enforcement Memorial, which currently has 18,274 names 
engraved on its surface.
  Each of these names is evidence of the sacrifices these brave law 
enforcement officers have made to keep American citizens safe.
  With gratitude for our law enforcement officers' devotion and 
dedication, I ask all members to join me in supporting H. Res. 1132.
  Ms JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 1132, Supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial 
Day, introduced by my distinguished colleague from Texas, 
Representative Ted Poe.
  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 thursday, 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-aged 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, 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

[[Page H4083]]

fact that one officer is killed every 2\1/2\ 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, 
U.S. territories, and Federal law enforcement and military police 
agencies.
  This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Peace 
Officer Memorial Day, which honors Federal, State, and local peace 
officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. This service will 
honor the 181 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty 
during 2007, as well as the 900,000 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:
  Ms. ISSA. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1132.
  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. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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