[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H1438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING BART OFFICER TOMMY SMITH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Swalwell) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, there is no person more 
worthy of respect and tribute than he or she who lays down their own 
life while working to protect others. Today it is with great sadness 
that I wish to honor Bay Area Rapid Transit Sergeant Thomas Smith, 
whose end of watch came too early when he was tragically killed on 
January 21 of this year.
  Sergeant Smith, known as Tommy to his family and friends, is from a 
law enforcement family that knows all too well the daily risks of 
wearing a badge and serving the community as a police officer. Sergeant 
Smith's wife, Kellie, also works as a police officer, as do his two 
brothers, Ed and Pat, and also his brother-in-law Todd. So aware were 
Sergeant Smith and his family of the personal danger they faced in 
their jobs that they had a rule of what they would say to each other 
whenever they would leave each other's company: Never say good-bye. You 
only tell each other, ``Be safe.''
  But Sergeant Smith is not a hero because of how he died; he is a hero 
because of how he lived. On the job, Sergeant Smith worked honorably 
every day--not just the day that we lost him--to protect our community.
  Sergeant Smith cared most about his family, and nothing else was even 
a close second, as his own lieutenant described earlier last week. 
Sergeant Smith took every opportunity to spend time with whom he called 
his ``girls''--his wife, Kellie, and their 6-year-old daughter, Summer.
  May we always remember Sergeant Smith and how he lived so honorably 
for us. And may Sergeant Smith now watch over us from above, as he 
always did on Earth, to make sure that all of us can be safe.

                          ____________________