[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 24, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5298-S5299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REMEMBERING OFFICER CHESTNUT AND DETECTIVE GIBSON

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, the nation is mourning the senseless 
loss of 12 people in Aurora CO, and the wounding of 58 people.
  Today, we mark the sad anniversary of another tragedy that took place 
in the Capitol on July 27, 1998.
  We remember Officer Jacob J.J. Chestnut, from Ft. Washington in my 
home State of Maryland and Special Agent John Gibson, of Woodbridge, 
VA, who gave their lives to protect the U.S. Capitol, all the people 
who work at and visit the Capitol, and to protect this building that is 
the symbol of freedom and democracy the world over.
  Today, we honor the lives and heroism of Officer Chestnut and 
Detective Gibson. We also commend all the Capitol Hill police officers 
who put their lives on the line to protect democracy.
  These two fine men were part of one of the most unique police forces 
in the country. They are excellent Federal law-enforcement officials 
who protect Members of Congress from crooks, terrorists, or anyone else 
who would want to harm us, and they also protect all the people in the 
building, whether it is a foreign dignitary or a Girl Scout troop from 
Iowa.
  Second, they are also ``Officer Friendly''--welcoming people and 
answering questions; and many have taken special language training to 
help visitors from around the world.
  Third, many are also trained for other possible emergencies: to 
provide basic paramedic help in the case of an ill tourist, or to 
provide basic fire-fighting and help evacuate buildings in the case of 
fires.

[[Page S5299]]

  These police are like our own ``Cops on the Beat.''
  Finally, so many of the Capitol Hill Police Officers are my Maryland 
constituents, just like J.J. Chestnut.
  Officer Chestnut was always one of the stars: trained as an MP in the 
military, he was with the Capitol Police for 18 years and was known for 
having a unique touch with tourists and constituents. We were very 
proud of him, and he was even nominated at one time for Capitol Police 
Officer of the Year.
  And I know how proud we were of Detective Gibson as well: he was from 
just across the river in Virginia. He was a true hero--stopping the 
gunman from entering the building.
  Mr. President, I join my colleagues in the Senate in marking this sad 
anniversary and in paying respect to the families of Officer Chestnut 
and Detective Gibson. They were heroes that sad day in 1998, and they 
are heroes for today and all eternity.

                          ____________________