[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING JOE BURKE

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I would like to recognize Mr. Joseph 
``Joe'' Burke for his 33 years of service with the U.S. Capitol Police.
  Joe was raised and educated in Pennsylvania and Virginia. He attended 
Moravia College in Pennsylvania and graduated with a degree in criminal 
justice. Joe's studies didn't occupy all his time while at Moravia; he 
was an extremely talented baseball player and tried out for the 
Pittsburgh Pirates.
  After choosing a career in law enforcement, Joe joined the U.S. 
Capitol Police on December 8, 1975. He served in several positions 
within the department before finding his true calling--the Containment 
and Emergency Response Team, CERT, in 1981.
  Joe was among the original members of CERT upon its inception in 
1981. The tryouts for CERT were strenuous; held at the FBI Academy, 
they consisted of shooting drills, running an obstacle course and 
jumping into a pool with a rubber gun before swimming the length of the 
pool. The Unit started with three five-man teams that train twice a 
month. This modest beginning has grown into the CERT we see today--a 
highly trained, full-time tactical team.
  Over the years, Joe has remained committed to serving the 
congressional community. He has served during several challenging 
periods for the Capitol Police including the tragic shooting at the 
Capitol, the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the anthrax mailings. 
Joe's experience was invaluable during big events, too--the state 
funerals of Presidents Reagan and Ford, demonstrations, eight 
Presidential Inaugurations and numerous State of the Union Addresses.
  Joe Burke's experience and service have helped CERT become a SWAT 
team that ranks among the top teams in the country. He is responsible 
for many of the programs currently used by the Capitol Police to train 
CERT personnel.
  Joe has been recognized for his leadership and efforts to develop an 
enhanced and professional tactical team and for his work with area 
teams to develop response and coverage capabilities across the region.
  Mr. President, Joe Burke retired from the U.S. Capitol Police on 
January 3, 2009. I would like to thank him for his years of service to 
the congressional community and ask that my colleagues join me in 
wishing Joe well in his retirement.

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