[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 24, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S2909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ACKNOWLEDGING THE CAPITOL POLICE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I appreciate very much the Chaplain's 
prayer, but I especially want to recognize the last line or two of his 
prayer today where he indicated that he wanted a special blessing on 
the Capitol Police. I am happy the Sergeant at Arms was here when that 
prayer was being given, because the Chaplain is right. Every day the 
Capitol Police protect us; that is, Senators and staff, but also the 
millions of visitors who come to this massive complex every year. We 
see them standing there at guard, watching the doors. We need to do 
that because a few years ago we had some madman crash through the House 
side and kill some police officers.
  We see that things have gotten more difficult since then. We have 
people standing with automatic weapons. We have bomb squads. We have 
dogs that work with us so well. We have people who are on bicycles. But 
with the appropriations process coming soon,--I hope--we have to make 
sure we supply the Capitol Police with the tools and materials and 
equipment they need to continue doing their job.
  Is it inconvenient for people coming here, and for us on occasion? 
The answer is yes. But they are doing that for us, for the people who 
come to this complex. I want to acknowledge the good Chaplain. I 
appreciate his remarks on behalf of the people who protect us here 
every day.

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