[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 16, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4208-H4210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES ACT
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1892) to amend title 4, United States Code, to provide for
the flying of the flag at half-staff in the event of the death of a
first responder in the line of duty.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1892
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Honoring Hometown Heroes
Act''.
SEC. 2. PERMITTING THE FLAG TO BE FLOWN AT HALF-STAFF IN THE
EVENT OF THE DEATH OF A FIRST RESPONDER SERVING
IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
(a) Amendment.--The sixth sentence of section 7(m) of title
4, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``or'' after ``possession of the United
States'' and inserting a comma;
(2) by inserting ``or the death of a first responder
working in any State, territory, or possession who dies while
serving in the line of duty,'' after ``while serving on
active duty,'';
(3) by striking ``and'' after ``former officials of the
District of Columbia'' and inserting a comma; and
(4) by inserting before the period the following: ``, and
first responders working in the District of Columbia''.
(b) First Responder Defined.--Such subsection is further
amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``, United States Code;
and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) the term `first responder' means a `public safety
officer' as defined in section 1204 of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796b).''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall
apply with respect to deaths of first responders occurring on
or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 1892, currently under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution
establishing an official flag for the new American Nation. The
resolution, now known as the Flag Act of 1777, stated that the flag
would be ``thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be
thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new
Constellation.''
For the last 240 years, the American people have celebrated Flag Day
every June 14, and, over that time, the flag has evolved. As we all
know, changes have been made to its design, shape, and arrangement. The
Flag Act of 1794 changed the design from 13 to 15 stars to accommodate
the admission of Vermont and Kentucky into the Union. The Flag Act of
1818 mandated that the 13 stripes represented the Thirteen Original
Colonies, the number of stars matched the number of States, and
provided that subsequent changes in the number of stars would be made
on the 4th of July.
What has remained rock solid over that quarter millennium, however,
is what our flag represents. It represents one nation, freedom, and
justice for all, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of those core
American values.
[[Page H4209]]
Current law provides guidance for displaying and handling the flag so
it is afforded the respect it deserves and has earned. In abiding by
these guidelines, we all commemorate the value and love we hold for
what our flag represents. That is why the legislation before us today,
H.R. 1892, the Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, is not only appropriate
but necessary.
This bill amends Federal law to permit State and Territorial
Governors and the Mayor of Washington, D.C., to order that the flag be
flown at halfstaff in the event that a public safety officer dies in
the line of duty. For purposes of this legislation, ``public safety
officers'' include local police officers, firefighters, and EMS
professionals. These are individuals who make great sacrifices so we
all can live in a free country. These men and women work long hours,
separated from their loved ones, and consistently place themselves in
harm's way so we as Americans can enjoy our freedom and our way of
life. These sacrifices often go unappreciated.
When an officer dies in the line of duty, he or she is making the
ultimate sacrifice for their community, their family, and for their
country. H.R. 1892 allows the American people to show their
appreciation to these men and women, who are truly the bulwark between
order and chaos. They represent the values the Founders held so dear
nearly 250 years ago, and their sacrifices must be publicly
acknowledged so they are not taken for granted.
I thank the lead sponsor of this bill, Congressman John Larson. On
May 3, the House Committee on the Judiciary approved the Honoring
Hometown Heroes Act with unanimous, bipartisan support. I urge my
colleagues to support this legislation and the other bills before the
House today to honor the men and women who have made the ultimate
sacrifice to ensure the safety of our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise also in support of H.R. 1892, the Honoring Hometown Heroes
Act. I want to begin by saluting the distinguished author of this
legislation, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), who has
navigated the twists and turns of the legislative process to bring this
legislation to the floor with the Committee on the Judiciary.
H.R. 1892 would bestow one of the highest honors that can be given in
America to our first responders who have died in the line of duty by
allowing the U.S. flag to be lowered in their respective jurisdictions.
The bill amends the U.S. Flag Code to allow the Governor of a State,
Territory or possession, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia to
order the flag be lowered to halfstaff if a first responder in the
jurisdiction dies while serving in the line of duty.
Our first responders put their lives on the line every day for the
greater good of the people that they have taken an oath to serve and
protect. Every year, some first responders make the ultimate sacrifice
and lose their lives while serving and protecting their communities in
the line of duty.
Currently, under the U.S. Flag Code, a Governor or the Mayor of the
District of Columbia can order that the flag be lowered to halfstaff
after the death of a President or former government official or after
the death of a member of the Armed Forces from the jurisdiction. It is
only fitting that, given the hard work and sacrifices and crucial role
of first responders, we honor these brave men and women in the same way
that we honor government officials and members of the Armed Forces when
they make the ultimate sacrifice. Accordingly, I urge all of my
colleagues to support H.R. 1892.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
Member from Maryland and our distinguished chairman from Virginia for
taking up this legislation.
Let me start by thanking so many cosponsors, starting with Peter King
and Bill Pascrell, the co-chairs of our Congressional Fire Services
Caucus, for their extraordinary work; the sheriff, as I like to refer
to David Reichert, who I serve with on the Committee on Ways and Means;
and Tim Walz, the chairman of the Congressional Emergency Medical
Services (EMS) Caucus and ranking member of the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs.
Amongst the Members who are cosponsors of the bill, many are former
first responders as well: Dutch Ruppersberger, former police officer;
John Rutherford, former sheriff of Duval County, Florida; Brian
Fitzpatrick, former FBI special agent; Jim Renacci, former volunteer
firefighter from Ohio.
Special thanks to the Committee on the Judiciary for recognizing,
however simple a solution, how powerful the meaning for those who have
lost a member of their community and their family who, as Lincoln would
say, have given the full measure of their devotion. I thank Chairman
Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers, Steve King, and Steve Cohen also
for their work on this. I deeply appreciate it.
I especially thank and single out Jim McLoughlin, a veteran
firefighter from Connecticut. He is the founder of the National Honor
Guard Commanders Association, and it was he who first came to me with
endorsing this concept.
I also thank the strong support of Harold Schaitberger of the
International Association of Firefighters, the Fraternal Order of
Police, Sergeants Benevolent Association, International Association of
Fire Chiefs, and the National Volunteer Fire Council, among others.
As has been said on the floor already today, a number of people have
mentioned that this week we come together during National Police Week
to recognize first responders. In fact, the White House was lit in blue
last night. It is those who put their lives on the line every day to
protect us and our communities, as the chairman noted, who often get
forgotten in terms of their line of duty.
I am the son of a proud firefighter. I think in every firefighter's
memory and every memory of the Nation will be permanently seared that
vision of firefighters rushing up the steps of the World Trade Center
as people were coming down.
{time} 1645
Whether it is a national emergency or a medical emergency, these
brave men and women are the first to answer the call, and they deserve
our respect.
Scripture tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, but
only a few are willing to step into harm's way for others. When
everyone else flees from danger, our law enforcement officers,
firefighters, and EMTs heroically place their lives in jeopardy to help
people that they have never met.
These jobs are inherently dangerous. The reminders are too common.
And as any family of a first responder can tell you, they oftentimes do
not return home to their families. Joe Crowley has spoken eloquently of
that on this very floor.
This bill has been reviewed by the chairman, and I thank Mr. Raskin
for his comments as well. But I think we can all agree that these
courageous men and women deserve what is a simple tribute but a very
powerful message when the American flag and all that it stands for is
lowered to halfstaff when they have given the full measure of their
devotion to their community, their State, and this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage and am thankful for the bipartisan
support that we have received on this very important week for these
incredibly remarkable and important people who serve their country.
Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I encourage all of my colleagues to support this wonderful
legislation, and I take the occasion of National Police Week to restate
everyone in this body's appreciation for the hard work that our
responders and our officers do.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1892.
The question was taken.
[[Page H4210]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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