[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 112 (Tuesday, July 12, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING DAVID ELAHI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, early on Sunday, July 3, while most of us 
were resting up for our Independence Day weekends, Sergeant David Elahi 
was conducting highway safety patrol measures in Sterlington, 
Louisiana, a city which I represent.
  That morning, a drunk driver struck and killed David while he was 
conducting a traffic stop. The driver injured two other officers as 
well. David was only 28 years old. Communities in Ouachita Parish and 
the surrounding areas are still reeling from David's death because, 
according to all accounts, he was just a great guy.
  He was a family man who left behind a 2-year-old daughter and his 
fiancee, who is expecting a child in January. That shift was supposed 
to be David's last full-time shift for the Sterlington Police 
Department. He was planning to retire to take care of home, go back to 
a business that he had started, wanted to improve it, but he didn't get 
there.
  I rise today because our Nation needs to know about David. They need 
to know that he was a model citizen pursuing the American Dream. He was 
proud of his family. He was proud of his church. He was proud of his 
home, and he was proud of the service he provided.
  Last week was a dark week in our Nation. The deaths in my home State 
of Louisiana as well as those in Texas and Minnesota have once again 
thrust into the forefront a debate on the role our law enforcement 
officers play in policing our communities.
  There have been calls to harm our police, and one man in Dallas did 
just that. For the first time in history, graphic scenes from our 
streets are being live-streamed on the Internet. People are reacting 
sometimes in violent ways. All loss of life is tragic. More violence is 
not the answer. When tragedies occur, we must fully investigate them 
and hold accountable any who acted wrongfully.
  But even when bad things happen, we cannot let these events define 
who we are and react in ways that divide us. Most of us want the same 
things: to provide for our families, to better our communities, and to 
serve our God. The Bible tells us that patience is a virtue, and we 
must use that wisdom today as we seek answers to questions everyone in 
society is asking.
  For me, personally, I believe the overwhelming majority of our police 
officers are just like David. They serve because they want to make a 
difference, they want to make their communities a better place. They 
are there and they serve simply because they care.
  I would encourage everyone listening to take a deep breath and 
reflect on the services of David Elahi. I want you to think about how 
he served his community. I want you to think about his fiancee, his 
daughter, and the child who will never know him from this point on. I 
want to remember that family members of all our law enforcement 
officers share intimately in the cause of public safety that they want 
to provide.
  I also want to think about those five officers in Dallas who lost 
their lives in the line of duty and how their fellow officers ran 
toward the gunfire while others ran away. That is what our officers do. 
That is why they keep us safe. No institution is perfect. People like 
David do not deserve to be vilified because they chose to serve and 
protect. People like those officers in Dallas didn't deserve to be 
marked for death because they were simply police officers. They did 
their duty, and they were killed because of it.
  So thank a law enforcement officer today for what they do for you and 
for me. Thank their families for sharing in their sacrifice. Say a 
prayer for David, his family, and the Sterlington community, and say a 
prayer for all of those who wear the badge.

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