[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 62 (Monday, April 12, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Honoring Officer William F. Evans

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate returns to session in the 
shadow of tragedy. A week ago last Friday, the senseless attack on the 
Capitol by a lone actor injured one Capitol Police officer and claimed 
the life of another, Officer William ``Billy'' Evans.
  All of us in the Capitol and all of us across the Nation wish for the 
speedy recovery of Officer Shaver and mourn the loss of another fallen 
hero.
  To pay tribute to his final act of bravery, Officer Evans will lie in 
honor under the Capitol Rotunda, at the very center of the democracy he 
gave his life to protect. A service in his memory will take place 
tomorrow morning.
  For everyone who works in the Senate, his loss is particularly 
painful. He was a familiar face who greeted lawmakers, reporters, 
staffers, and employees at the north entrance as we entered the Senate 
side of the building. Whether you knew him or not, his wide smile was 
often the first thing you would see in the morning.
  This has been an immensely difficult few months for members of the 
Capitol Police Force and for everyone who works behind the scenes to 
safeguard the Capitol Complex. Senate committees are conducting 
bipartisan and comprehensive reviews to ensure the Capitol is as secure 
as possible while also remaining accessible to the public. That is a 
top priority.
  But also, in this moment of profound loss, we need to comfort each 
other and support members of the Capitol Police, who, in 4 short 
months, have suffered a brutal attack by a violent mob and lost four of 
their friends and cherished colleagues. We must never, never take for 
granted the work they do, day in and day out, to guard this citadel of 
democracy.
  I will have more to say tomorrow when we pay tribute to the life of 
Officer Evans. For now, I wish to extend my deep condolences to his 
friends and family, especially his two young children, and everyone 
whose lives were enriched by knowing this incredible, incredible public 
servant.