[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 14 (Monday, January 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S115-S116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Tribute to Capitol Custodial Staff

  Mr. BROWN. Madam President, it is good to see the Senator from Hawaii 
as the Presiding Officer.
  Madam President, I rise today to honor workers in this building--
something that Senator Hirono does every day of her life in this job--
workers in this building who are too often overlooked but whose work is 
essential to the functioning of our government: our Capitol custodial 
staff.
  In the days after the January 6 insurrection, when domestic 
terrorists stormed this building, we rightly honored Capitol Police 
Officer Eugene Goodman and many other Capitol police officers who put 
their lives on the line to protect all of us, to protect our democratic 
process, and, essentially, to protect our democracy.
  Last week, I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing 
legislation to award Officer Goodman the

[[Page S116]]

Congressional Gold Medal. He and others may well have saved our lives 
and protected our democracy. They did it without the support they 
needed from their leadership. They did it without the support from the 
Trump White House on down.
  But those officers aren't the only ones who deserve our honor and our 
gratitude. They are not the only ones who put their lives on the line 
serving our country on January 6 or over the past year during this 
pandemic.
  Every day, Capitol custodial staff do their jobs with skill, 
dedication, and dignity. They showed up for work during this pandemic 
even when many in this building didn't take it seriously and put those 
workers' health at risk by not wearing masks.
  Capitol custodial workers were here on January 6, doing their jobs, 
when White supremacists stormed this building, barging into this 
Chamber, acting as though no one could ever possibly hold them 
accountable. Because the President was on their side, they thought they 
were invulnerable.
  And when their rampage was over, it was largely the Black and Brown 
custodians who were left to restore dignity and respect to the Capitol. 
Their work allowed us to continue ours that night: certifying the 
electoral votes, securing the election and our democracy.
  Many Americans were so moved to see those workers still doing their 
jobs. That is what service looks like. That is what love of country 
looks like. That is what the dignity of work is all about.
  Unfortunately, it tells you a whole lot about the problems that have 
been allowed to fester for too long in this country: White supremacists 
make a mess; Black workers clean it up.
  We have a lot of work to do to fix that and to ensure that hard work 
pays off for all workers in this country. We simply don't value and 
respect all work the way we should.
  I think of the words of Dr. King, who, as you know, died fighting for 
workers, sanitation workers in Memphis. He said:

       If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep 
     streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed 
     music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so 
     well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to 
     say, ``Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job 
     well.''

  Dr. King said:

       No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity 
     has dignity and importance.

  No work is insignificant. All labor has dignity. We ought to treat it 
that way, starting with honoring these workers.
  In the days after January 6, pictures of Capitol workers cleaning up 
after these terrorists were reported on the news, captured by dedicated 
journalists who also risked their lives to do their jobs that day. 
These photos struck a chord with so many people. Americans began 
writing thank-you letters, sending them to the Architect of the Capitol 
to pass on to custodial staff, to police officers, and to others.
  Many of these workers are represented by AFSCME Local 626, which 
gives workers a voice on the job and is also working on ways to honor 
its members.
  Members of Congress should do the same. In the coming weeks, I will 
be introducing a Senate resolution to recognize the Capitol custodial 
staff for their bravery and their service to our country on January 6. 
I hope my colleagues will join me--all of them--not as Republicans or 
Democrats but as Members of this body, as Americans all.
  This Capitol is the people's House. The insurrectionists ransacked 
it. The Capitol custodians picked up the pieces. They deserve our 
eternal gratitude. To all the Capitol custodians who come to work in 
this building each day to ensure our democracy functions, thank you, 
thank you, thank you.