[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 171 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5118-H5119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               OPPOSITION TO DEFUNDING POLICE DEPARTMENTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Baird) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroic efforts 
of West Lafayette Police Officer Brian Danosky.
  On the morning of August 27, Officer Danosky found 22-year-old Troy 
Moffitt, who was bleeding from a gunshot wound. Not knowing if the 
shooter was still in the area, Officer Danosky ignored the danger to 
his life and rushed to save Mr. Moffitt. Officer Danosky applied a 
tourniquet to Moffitt's leg, an act that saved Mr. Moffitt's life.
  Officer Danosky went above and beyond the call of duty and risked his 
own safety to save the life of a citizen he swore to protect and serve. 
For that, Officer Danosky will be the third officer in the last 10 
years to receive the Silver Merit Award.
  I commend Officer Danosky for his act of bravery, and on behalf of 
all Hoosiers in the Fourth District, I thank him for his service.
  Mr. Speaker, I offer Officer Danosky's story to my colleagues not 
only to highlight his heroic actions, but to remind them that our 
police officers are dedicated public servants who want to protect their 
communities.
  Unfortunately, there is a growing movement to disparage and defund 
our law enforcement officers. There are even some in this Congress who 
advocate defunding police departments. We are already seeing the 
disastrous effects happening over our country in cities where they 
slice police budgets.
  New York City took $1 billion from their police budget amid rising 
crime. In July, the city saw a 59 percent increase in murders compared 
to last year.
  The city of Minneapolis is pushing to eliminate their police 
department at a time when they are seeing a spike in murders.
  What makes this rise in crime even more tragic is that the victims 
are often from underserved communities, the same communities, we are 
told, that will benefit from fewer police officers in their 
neighborhoods.
  These communities are no different from the communities in my 
district. They want the same thing: good jobs, good schools, safe 
communities, and a place to raise their families.
  I will continue to support our police officers and oppose any efforts 
to defund them.


                    Supporting the Second Amendment

  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the millions of 
Americans who are exercising their Second Amendment right and becoming 
law-abiding gun owners.
  As people across our Nation and across our country watch riots and 
crime consume our cities and the elected leaders in those cities do 
little or nothing to stop it, people will ensure they have the means to 
defend themselves and their family. These millions of Americans who are 
purchasing these firearms are exercising their God-given and 
constitutional right to self-defense.
  Since March of this year, at least 1.5 million firearms have been 
sold every month. I pledge to these new gun owners that I will not only 
work to restore law and order to our communities, but also protect the 
Second Amendment and make certain every American has the right to 
protect themselves and their families.


                            E Pluribus Unum

  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my fellow citizens 
that, despite our differences and beliefs and our deep divisions, we 
can still come together as one nation under one flag.
  We remember the words stitched on our Nation's first seal, ``e 
pluribus unum,'' ``out of many, one.'' No matter where you came from, 
what creed you follow, or the color of your skin, we are one nation 
united under the banner of freedom.
  This great experiment in self-government that we call the United 
States of America has been able to achieve great things like defeating 
Nazi Germany and landing a man on the Moon because we came together as 
one. When we stand shoulder to shoulder, there is no obstacle our 
country can't overcome.
  I ask every American to reflect and remember the bonds that unite us 
and

[[Page H5119]]

that they are stronger than those that divide us.

                          ____________________