[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 194 (Friday, December 16, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2293-E2294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO U.S. HOUSE SERGEANT AT ARMS WILSON ``BILL'' LIVINGOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2011

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a man who may not 
be a household name in most American towns and cities but who, over the 
past two decades, has become an integral part of the U.S. House of 
Representatives, the Honorable Wilson ``Bill'' Livingood, our 
outstanding Sergeant at Arms, who will be retiring next month.
  Known around the Capitol as the ``protector'' and ``keeper of the 
House,'' Bill Livingood has etched his name in the history books for 
serving the third longest term as Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of 
Representatives. To most Americans, he is the man--and the voice--who 
for 15 seconds every year announces at the beginning of the annual 
State of the Union address, ``Mr. Speaker, The President of the United 
States.''
  Bill was first sworn in as House Sergeant at Arms by Speaker Newt 
Gingrich on January 4, 1995. He is only the thirty-sixth person to hold 
this post since the House of Representatives first met in New York City 
in 1789.
  Bill Livingood's remarkable record of public service is even more 
noteworthy because of the unique experience he brought to the position. 
He was the first House Sergeant at Arms to possess considerable 
expertise in law enforcement, an asset that has served the House well 
during his tenure.
  Prior to his appointment, he was Senior Advisor to the Director of 
the U.S. Secret Service from 1989 to 1995, and a Special Agent with the 
Secret Service for a total of 33 years. His background includes service 
on then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson's security detail, as well as 
spending more than a decade aboard Air Force One.
  As an elected officer of the House of Representatives, the Sergeant 
at Arms is the chief law enforcement and protocol officer of the body, 
and is responsible for maintaining order on the House side of the 
United States Capitol complex.
  The Sergeant at Arms reviews and implements all issues relating to 
the safety and security of Members of Congress and the Capitol complex. 
The Sergeant at Arms also coordinates extensively with the U.S. Capitol 
Police and various intelligence agencies to assess threats against 
Members of Congress and the Capitol complex.
  Every visitor to the U.S. Capitol, whether it be the President of the 
United States, a foreign head of state or one of our youngest citizens, 
can roam safely around the vast Capitol complex because of Bill 
Livingood's professionalism, his dedication to duty and his 
considerable experience.
  When this most recent chapter of American history is written, it will 
be noted that Bill served the House during some of the most challenging 
times in its history, including the 1998 shootings of two U.S. Capitol 
Police officers, the 9/11 attacks on our country, as well as the 
anthrax threats to Congress that came in the wake of the 2001 terror 
attacks. Make no mistake, House security has undergone significant 
improvements over the last decade

[[Page E2294]]

and Bill Livingood's contributions are evident in what is, today, a 
much safer environment for lawmakers, staff and the public here on 
Capitol Hill.
  As an added tribute to his good stewardship of this important job, 
Bill served under four speakers, both Democrat and Republican, starting 
with Speaker Gingrich, then Speaker Dennis Hastert, Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi and our current Speaker, John Boehner. He and his office have 
been completely above reproach and non-partisan. To say that Bill 
Livingood is a consummate professional with a sterling reputation for 
honesty, integrity and class would be a fair way of describing the 
respect every Member of this House has for Bill.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all indebted to Bill Livingood's stewardship and 
watchful eye over this historic chamber. As he prepares to leave the 
House in the coming weeks, I join my colleagues and the American people 
in offering him a hearty ``job well done'' and wish him all the best in 
his well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________