[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 69 (Wednesday, May 6, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5278-H5279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THANK YOU TO OFFICER KEITH LEWIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Schmidt) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, for 11 straight years, my city, the city 
of Cincinnati, has hosted the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, and it's 
truly a great event. As a runner who has participated in all 11, I can 
tell you it's one of the finest in the Nation.
  The brainchild of Bob Coughlin, this marathon hosts over 23,000 
participants, including special events on Saturday that actually 
include young children and the disabled. There's 3,000-plus volunteers 
that make this effort happen, and hundreds of thousands of people along 
the sidelines watching us run. It's a great party. It's a great time.
  On Sunday, something happened that I think merits some distinction in 
this great body, and that's the actions of a police officer, Officer 
Keith Lewis of the Mariemont Police Department.
  You see, on Sunday, May 3, as we were running through the streets of 
Cincinnati, Officer Keith Lewis was on

[[Page H5279]]

duty to control the traffic. It was in Mariemont. He saw a car with a 
woman slumped over the wheel, and he pulled into action.
  He put his body over the top of the car, rolled onto the passenger 
door. An unknown bystander stood there, helped him get into the car, 
and pulled up the emergency brake. He dumped the woman over and drove 
the car away from the crowd of participants and the crowd of runners.
  I have no idea how many potential lives Officer Lewis saved. It could 
have been me, it could have been my husband and my brother-in-law 
standing there cheering me on at that spot, or my dear friends that 
were there. Who knows?
  It's interesting because, in a local news broadcast back in 
Cincinnati, Officer Keith Lewis refused to be called a hero--he is a 
hero in my book--because he said he was doing just what he was trained 
to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I must respectfully disagree with Officer Lewis. That 
man is a hero, and the bystander that helped him is a hero, too. Their 
selfless actions possibly saved countless lives and injuries. Who 
knows?
  I am honored, Mr. Speaker, and privileged to represent folks like 
Officer Lewis and that bystander in Cincinnati. Thank you, Officer 
Lewis, for your dedication and your outstanding commitment to public 
service. Thank you for protecting us, the runners, the bystanders, and 
the volunteers. You helped make the Cincinnati Flying Pig, once again, 
a great, great marathon. Thank you.

                          ____________________