[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 14, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING NEW JERSEY'S POLICE AND FIRST RESPONDERS

  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and pay tribute 
to New Jersey's heroic police officers and first responders. Their 
quick and decisive actions over one tense weekend this past September 
helped to apprehend a suspect in three bombings in New Jersey and New 
York, a potential terrorist attack on American soil in which one of the 
three bombings alone injured 31 people in Manhattan.
  As they do every day, these police officers, firefighters, and first 
responders worked swiftly and efficiently to protect our communities 
from further harm. Their courage, spirit of service, and commitment to 
protecting our communities ultimately helped to apprehend an individual 
who, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was an admirer 
of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al Awlaki.
  I greatly appreciate the efforts of the Linden, NJ, police officers 
who apprehended the suspect following a shootout between the suspect 
and law enforcement. Authorities located the suspect in Linden after a 
collective manhunt was organized by officers from Manhattan, Elizabeth, 
Linden, and communities along the Jersey Shore. A trial is now pending.
  I am grateful for the close coordination of New York and New Jersey 
law enforcement at the municipal, county, State, and Federal levels. 
Everyone worked together and shared actionable intelligence in real 
time, which ultimately led to the capture of a suspect before more 
bombings could occur. This critical sharing of information, paired with 
the swift action of law enforcement, played a key role in preventing 
further casualties.
  We owe a great debt of gratitude to the first responders who risk 
their lives each and every day for the safety of our communities. Our 
police officers and first responders represent the best of who we are 
as a nation, and we, as citizens, have an enduring responsibility to 
support them. As President Obama said during the hunt for the 
perpetrator of these bombings, ``We all have a role to play as citizens 
in making sure we don't succumb to that fear. And there's no better 
example of that than the people of New York and New Jersey.''
  These American heroes answered our call when we needed them the most, 
and we stand together as a grateful nation in expressing our undying 
gratitude. Thank you.

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