[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 12, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE FALLEN OFFICERS OF CLAY COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. AARON BEAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 12, 2026

  Mr. BEAN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the fallen 
officers of Clay County.
  There is a moment at every police memorial that always stands out to 
me. It is the moment when the names are read. No applause. No music. 
Just a voice, speaking each name slowly into the quiet.
  In that moment, something powerful happens. Those names stop being 
lines on a page and return to us as lives once lived--fathers and 
daughters, partners and friends. Men and women who once pinned on a 
badge, stepped into the unknown, and chose service over self. I include 
in the Record, twelve of those names from Clay County, Florida:

       Sheriff Josephus A. Peeler; Sheriff Charles M. Wilson; 
     Sheriff Theodore S. Cherry; Sergeant Richard Watkins; 
     Auxiliary Deputy Arthur Caton; Deputy Wilson Walker; Sergeant 
     Eddie Hayes; Detective David A. White; Deputy Ben Zirbel; 
     Sergeant Eric Twisdale; Deputy Clint Seagle; and Chief Derek 
     Asdot.

  Each of these men served the people of Clay County with courage, 
integrity, and a deep sense of duty. Each answered the same call that 
law enforcement officers across America answer every day--a call to 
stand between danger and the community they serve. They knew the risks 
of the badge, and they accepted them anyway.
  Behind every one of these names is a story of service. Long shifts. 
Missed holidays. Quiet acts of courage that most people never see--a 
commitment to protect their neighbors and uphold the law even when it 
demanded the ultimate sacrifice. Their legacy continues today through 
the deputies and officers who still serve Clay County with honor.
  On May 7, 2026, the Clay County Sheriffs Office gathered to remember 
these heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty. Their families, 
fellow officers, and community stood together to ensure that their 
service is never forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, a grateful Nation remembers. Their watch has ended, but 
their example lives on, and in Clay County, Florida, their names will 
always be called.

                          ____________________