[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         REGARDING H. RES. 1187

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 2010

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise as an original sponsor of H. 
Res. 1187 with my colleague Mr. Moran. This resolution recognizes the 
contributions of our federal employees and supports the goal of 
protecting their safety and security.
  It is a federal crime to assault or forcefully interfere with a 
federal employee while they are engaged in their official duties. Yet, 
between 2001 and 2008, there were more than 1,200 attacks made on just 
IRS employees alone. The most recent incident involved a pilot flying a 
small plane into an IRS office complex in Austin, Texas, killing Vernon 
Hunter, a Vietnam veteran and IRS employee.
  The Federal workforce is comprised of millions of employees who 
provide every kind of public service from fighting crime and fires, to 
protecting health, to preserving the environment and securing our 
borders. These dedicated public servants deserve our support, respect 
and protection.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to 
express our appreciation to federal employees for the work they do, and 
to urge the government to seek out ways to ensure their safety.

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