[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 83 (Thursday, May 13, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WEEK

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                            HON. JIM JORDAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2021

  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, last week we commemorated ``National 
Correctional Officers Week'' and recognize the men and women who serve 
as correctional officers across the United States. President Ronald 
Reagan proclaimed the first week in May as National Correctional 
Officers Week thirty-seven years ago ``in recognition of the 
contributions of correctional officers to our Nation.'' Especially over 
the past year, we have witnessed the substantial contributions of 
correctional officers and all law-enforcement officers in our 
neighborhoods and communities.
  As we continue to face challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is 
more important than ever to recognize the vital work that correctional 
officers perform on a daily basis, risking their lives in the course of 
carrying out their duties. ``Stay-at-home'' orders do not apply to our 
correctional officers. Public safety demands that these brave men and 
women come to work every day. Our nation's correctional officers did 
their best to keep themselves and those under their custody and care 
safe under these challenging circumstances.
  There are currently over two million people incarcerated in jails and 
prisons throughout the United States. Our nation faces a great 
challenge to keep both staff and inmates at correctional facilities 
safe during this pandemic and amid radical proposals to defunct law-
enforcement entities. Correctional officers are an integral part of our 
criminal justice system and they play a key role in helping maintain 
public safety. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
400,000 correctional officers in the United States for the difficult 
and often thankless job that they do day in and day out.

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