[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          National Police Week

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, this week is National Police Week--a 
chance to reflect on the sacrifices of our Nation's police officers and 
to thank them for everything they do on our behalf.
  Yesterday, I spoke on the floor about Military Appreciation Month. 
Like members of the military, police officers are a special breed. They 
willingly rush into danger and put their lives on the line for the rest 
of us. That is not a natural human instinct, to rush into danger. Most 
of us are inclined to run away from danger. But police officers do the 
opposite. They not only stand their ground in the face of danger; they 
walk into the midst of it to protect the rest of us.
  A centerpiece of National Police Week is Peace Officers Memorial Day, 
which commemorates the sacrifices of all of those who have given their 
lives in the line of duty. Last year, more than 100 police officers 
were killed in the line of duty. It is a powerful reminder that being a 
police officer is a dangerous job. USA TODAY reports that 10 percent of 
police officers are assaulted every year--10 percent. Police officers 
never know what they are going to face when they respond to a call, but 
they go in anyway.
  Serving in law enforcement can take a toll. Police officers--
particularly those who specialize in investigating and responding to 
the worst crimes--have to see a lot of evil on a daily basis. It is yet 
another way they protect the rest of us. They face evil so that we 
don't have to. Yet, despite all they do, they don't line up to be 
thanked. The police officers I meet tend to minimize their 
contributions. ``I am just doing my job'' is a pretty frequent refrain.
  A lot of us don't interact with the police very frequently. We don't 
often see the work they do to keep our towns and our cities safe. But 
being in Congress has given me a chance to interact with police 
officers on a daily basis. The U.S. Capitol Building and the 
congressional office buildings, where I work, are protected by the men 
and women of the U.S. Capitol Police. I see them every day, manning 
security checkpoints, directing traffic, standing on guard outside in 
the blazing Sun or the cold rain, responding to incidents, and 
protecting dignitaries and visitors. I know there is a lot they do that 
I don't see, too--the countless things that go into keeping the Capitol 
Complex and the thousands of people who work and visit here safe from 
threats.
  I was in the Longworth House Office Building on September 11, 2001, 
when the planes hit the Pentagon and the Twin Towers. Once it became 
clear that our Nation was, in fact, under attack, the entire Capitol 
Complex was evacuated. People were rushing, running out of the 
buildings. Do you know who wasn't running? The Capitol Police. They 
weren't going anywhere until they were sure that all of us had gotten 
out.
  Since I became whip, I have gotten to know a number of the 
outstanding plainclothes police officers who protect Members of 
leadership. It was two members of the Capitol Police security detail 
who stepped into the line of fire at the Republicans' baseball practice 
two summers ago and prevented a terrible day from becoming much worse. 
Many Members of Congress are safe today because of the actions of those 
two police officers.
  Here in the United States, we are blessed with a peace and a safety 
that is denied to many around the world. It is important to remember 
that one of the big reasons most of us are able to live free from fear 
is because of the countless police officers on duty around our country. 
They are there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, ready to 
step between us and danger. We owe these dedicated men and women a very 
great debt.
  As we observe Police Week, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the 
police officers who serve across our country. Thank you to their 
families, who also sacrifice so that the rest of us can live in safety. 
A special thank-you to the Capitol Police and the police officers who 
keep the peace back home in South Dakota. May God bless each of you.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.