[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16746-16750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 16746]]

             DESIGNATING THE CHESTNUT-GIBSON MEMORIAL DOOR

  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 158), as amended, 
designating the Document Door of the United States Capitol as the 
``Memorial Door''.


  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 158

       Whereas on July 24, 1998, a lone gunman entered the United 
     States Capitol through the door known as the Document Door, 
     located on the first floor of the East Front;
       Whereas Officer Jacob Joseph Chestnut was the first United 
     States Capitol Police officer to confront the gunman just 
     inside the Document Door and lost his life as a result;
       Whereas Detective John Michael Gibson also confronted the 
     gunman and lost his life in the ensuing shootout;
       Whereas the last shot fired by Detective John Gibson--his 
     final act as an officer of the law--finally brought down the 
     gunman and ended his deadly rampage;
       Whereas while the gunman's intentions are not fully known, 
     nor may ever be known, it is clear that he would have killed 
     more innocent people if United States Capitol Police Officer 
     Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson had not ended the 
     violent rampage;
       Whereas the United States Capitol Police represent true 
     dedication and professionalism in their duties to keep the 
     United States Capitol and the Senate and House of 
     Representatives office buildings safe for all who enter them;
       Whereas the United States Capitol shines as a beacon of 
     freedom and democracy all around the world;
       Whereas keeping the sacred halls of the United States 
     Capitol, known as the People's House, accessible for all the 
     people of the United States and the world is a true testament 
     of Congress and of our Nation's dedication to upholding the 
     virtues of freedom;
       Whereas the door near where this tragic incident took place 
     has been known as the Document Door; and
       Whereas it is fitting and appropriate that the Document 
     Door henceforth be known as the Memorial Door in honor of 
     Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the door known as the Document Door and 
     located on the first floor of the East Front of the United 
     States Capitol is designated as the ``Memorial Door'' in 
     honor of Officer Jacob Joseph Chestnut and Detective John 
     Michael Gibson of the United States Capitol Police, who gave 
     their lives in the line of duty on July 24, 1998, near that 
     door.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Calvert). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks) and the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Shows) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks).
  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  House Concurrent Resolution 158, as amended, introduced by the 
Majority Whip, the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, 
the Minority Whip and other Members of both sides of the aisle, 
designates the Document Door located on the first floor of the east 
front of the Capitol as ``Memorial Door'', in honor of Officer Jacob 
Chestnut and Detective John Gibson.
  In my brief tenure of chairman of the subcommittee charged with the 
responsibility of bringing to the House bills designating Federal 
facilities in honor of individuals, I have considered it a great 
pleasure to honor Americans who have distinguished themselves in public 
service. A naming bill is often a capstone for those fortunate to have 
bestowed upon them such an honor.
  But this action that we take today, while richly deserved, gives me 
no joy. This week is the first anniversary of an event that we hope 
will never be repeated. Officer Chestnut became the first Capitol Hill 
Police Officer killed in the line of duty. Detective Gibson became the 
second.
  Those few minutes on Friday, July 24, 1998 changed forever the way we 
look and feel about the Document Door and the visitor's entrance to the 
Capitol. The horror of senseless shootings that cut short the lives of 
these officers will remain forever in the minds of those who are alive 
today because of them.
  These two officers were ordinary men, and in those horrifying minutes 
did extraordinary things. The action we take today reminds us we should 
never forget the duty these officers swear to uphold. We also need to 
remember particularly how fragile life is in the face of the dangers 
that confront the fine men and women of the Capitol Police.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. On July 24, 
1998, our Nation and this Capitol suffered a heartbreaking tragedy. 
Officer Jacob Chestnut and Officer John Gibson were killed in the line 
of duty while providing protection and security for tourists, visitors, 
employees, staff, and Members of Congress.
  A year has passed, but time has not dimmed our memories, nor lessened 
the gratitude we hold for the heroism of these two brave officers.
  House Concurrent Resolution 158 designates the Document Door located 
on the first floor of the east front of the Capitol as the ``Memorial 
Door'' in honor of Officers Chestnut and Gibson.
  It is fitting and proper that we honor the heroism of these two brave 
Capitol Hill officers. I join my colleagues in supporting this 
resolution and urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield the 
remainder of our time to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Shuster), chairman of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to 
control the time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of this resolution today. 
The location known as the Document Door is the point of entry into the 
east wing of the Capitol which was regularly secured by Officer 
Chestnut and Special Agent Gibson.
  These Capitol Police Officers made the ultimate sacrifice by giving 
their lives in the line of service. Officer Chestnut and Special Agent 
Gibson were struck down in the line of fire defending the Members of 
this body, the congressional staff, and the visitors just 1 year ago, 
on July 24, 1998.
  Officer Chestnut was a Vietnam veteran and served in the U.S. Air 
Force police for 20 years before joining the Capitol Police in 1980. 
Officer Chestnut had five children and one grandchild, and he was due 
to retire 2 months after the fatal day to spend more time with his wife 
Wendy and his family.
  Special Agent Gibson was 42 years old and also had an 18-year veteran 
record on the Capitol Police. He was a native of Massachusetts and 
resided in Woodbridge, Virginia with his wife Evelyn and three children 
for the past 15 years. On the day of the shooting, Officer Gibson was 
working his last shift before planning to go on vacation.
  This is a most fitting tribute to these fallen heroes. I strongly 
support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1030

  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Wynn).
  Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Mississippi for yielding me this time. I rise today in honor of two of 
America's heroes; Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut and 
Detective John Gibson. These two men made the ultimate sacrifice on 
behalf of this institution, not just for Members but, more importantly, 
the thousands of visitors who come here every day.
  We were all stunned when these two officers lost their lives last 
year on July 24. This tragedy demonstrates the tremendous sacrifices 
that members of the Capitol Police are asked to make on a daily basis 
to protect this institution, to protect the Capitol grounds, and to 
protect this aspect of the freedom that unfortunately we often take for 
granted.
  Putting aside the rhetoric that we often use, I also want to make a 
practical point; that as we honor these two men, we also ought to honor 
their memory with respect to the Capitol Police Force, and when the 
occasion arises to recognize our police officers with compensation and 
benefits, and we ought to be equally magnanimous in recognizing the 
sacrifices these officers make.

[[Page 16747]]

  I would also like to take this opportunity to mention the name of 
another officer who lost his life. Officer Christopher Eney lost his 
life in 1984 in a training accident while training as a member of the 
Capitol Police Force. He too should be recognized.
  The tragedy of this loss and all these losses indicates to us how 
fleeting life is and it is appropriate that we take a moment to try to 
memorialize these lives. I think in this way this will be a fitting 
memorial to the sacrifices these gentlemen made.
  I am very pleased that with the support of the Members of this body 
we were able to pass a resolution last year to rename the post office 
in the community where Officer Chestnut lives in his honor. Today's 
recognition is of similar importance.
  Again, I would like to say that we have fallen heroes that we 
recognize today, and I would like to close by thanking my colleagues on 
the other side of the aisle for their support for what is truly a 
bipartisan effort to recognize American heroes.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Ewing), a distinguished member of our committee.
  Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to recognize 
the service and the lives of Officer Gibson and Officer Chestnut. To 
their families I think we show today our continued support for the 
tragedy that has struck their lives, because the lives of the wives and 
children of these two fallen heroes can never be the same. Their 
sacrifice has been the greatest.
  I think it is important, though, to recognize that out of this we are 
considering some very important improvements to our Capitol Hill 
police: Added personnel, better equipment, and better pay. I think also 
that we have shown to the world that we can keep this, the people's 
house, open even in a time when terrorism and tragedy strikes in this 
country.
  This building is a legislative hall, but it is also a memorial to 
those throughout our history who have served this country so well. I 
think it is most fitting that these two officers have their names 
associated with the document door.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley).
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this 
time, and I would also like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. DeLay), for taking the lead on this resolution. He and his 
staff have done yeomen's work in making sure the dream of a memorial 
door becomes reality. Speaking on behalf of the Capitol family, the 
Gibson family, and the Chestnut family, we all appreciate it.
  Mr. Speaker, on a sunny Friday afternoon last July, gunfire shattered 
the sense of security here in the building. On that day, my family lost 
a son, and John Gibson and Jacob J. Chestnut became heroes, heroes like 
we have not seen in a very long time, heroes who remind us that their 
bravery in protecting others and sacrificing in the line of duty are 
still very important even today.
  For me, this tragedy has been very personal. Special Agent John 
Gibson was my niece Evelyn's husband, and I admired John for many, many 
reasons. First and foremost, was his love and his devotion for his wife 
Evelyn and their three children Kristen, John and Danny. Second, I 
admired his dedication to his service. He always wanted to be a police 
officer, and now he will go down in the annals of history as being the 
very best that our country can provide.
  I also admired his loyalty to his Massachusetts roots. John followed 
all Boston sports, both collegiate and professional, like a man with a 
mission. Last month, the Boston Celtics, one of his favorite teams, 
awarded him their ``Heroes Among Us'' designation. And John certainly 
deserved that award because he prevented what could have been a real, 
real tragedy.
  Those of us who are very familiar with the building give thanks that 
this tragedy, bad as it was, was not worse. Thousands and thousands of 
people walk into the United States Capitol each and every year. There 
are many people milling around everywhere, and there are not very many 
places to hide. John Gibson, Jacob Chestnut, and their colleagues on 
the Capitol Police Force stood between every single one of them and the 
danger that was present that day.
  Mr. Speaker, that day we learned all too well the United States 
Capitol Police are just not the people who watch over us day after day, 
they are loyal, dedicated professional people who are deeply devoted to 
their work. And as these men have proved, at any moment they would lay 
down their lives for us.
  We have a tremendous amount of responsibility to make sure that they 
are all treated well and their actions do not go unnoticed. John Gibson 
and Jacob Chestnut's bravery that day brought together the Capitol 
community like never before. Normally, the Capitol Rotunda is reserved 
to honor dignitaries and heads of State, and it has been used only 27 
times since 1852, but there was not one person in the Capitol, Democrat 
or Republican, Senator, or cafeteria employee, who disagreed with the 
decision to allow people to pay their respects to those two officers 
and that they be laid out in the Capitol Rotunda.
  A few days later, when the funerals took place, not a person lining 
the streets to watch the procession could hold back their tears. Cab 
drivers honked, construction workers tipped their hats, and well-
wishers lined the streets for miles. It was very moving to be a part of 
that. And I kept thinking if the people on the streets were this sad, 
if they were so moved by two men they had never met, imagine how their 
wives and children must be feeling. Because we here lost our sense of 
security and we lost our very dear friends, but the Gibsons and the 
Chestnuts lost far more than we, and I am sure they would trade all the 
accolades and all the memorials and all the tributes for their fathers, 
their husbands, to have them guarding the United States Capitol like 
they used to.
  Both John Gibson and Jacob Chestnut died protecting the people under 
their care. We owe them our deepest admiration, our profound respect, 
and although this simple gesture of renaming the entrance to the 
Capitol can never fully reflect the sacrifice they and others have made 
for our protection, it is a fitting tribute to the two men who 
protected the thousands and thousands of tourists and staffers who 
enter the building. I hope that door will memorialize their sacrifices 
for centuries to come.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority whip, and the primary sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), and the ranking member for bringing this 
resolution to the floor. I wish we did not have to do it. I also want 
to pay my utmost respect to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Moakley), for he did lose a very, very dear family member, and he has 
shown great stature, as he always has in this House, and I appreciate 
him as a gentleman and as a man of character.
  History shows that America is great because of the goodness of our 
heroes. Today, we all gather to honor true American heroism. A year ago 
this week a lone gunman entered this very building. Standing at his 
post that day was Capitol Police Officer Jacob ``J.J.'' Chestnut, who 
was shot and killed as he valiantly stood his ground protecting all 
those who were working in and visiting this Capitol, the people's 
house.
  The gunman then continued his rampage and encountered Detective John 
Gibson, who selflessly placed his life between the armed attacker and 
numerous innocent lives in my office. After being shot, Detective 
Gibson was still able to bring the gunman down. His final act as a 
defender of the peace was what saved the lives of countless others that 
day.
  The Capitol building which these two brave men offered their lives to 
protect is far more than just a building, it is the monument of 
freedom. The Capitol is the embodiment of democracy and a beacon of 
hope to all the people of the

[[Page 16748]]

world that cherish freedom. Like the men and women whose statues line 
the halls of this very building, Officer Chestnut, Officer Gibson, and 
Officer Eney deserve to be remembered for the sacrifice they made for 
their country. Like the heroes who line the halls, these heroes deserve 
to be memorialized within these hallowed halls.
  To the families of Private First Class Jacob Chestnut and Detective 
John Gibson of the Capitol Police Department: the Members of Congress, 
the staff, and thousands of yearly visitors all thank you for your 
sacrifice.
  To the family of Sergeant Christopher Eney and to his widow Vivian 
Eney Cross, who is here with us today, we remember that your loved one 
also gave his life in the line of duty while serving as a Capitol 
Police Officer, and we say thank you.
  To all the sons and daughters and wives and husbands who must watch 
their loved ones each day place their lives between the innocent and 
the dangerous, we thank you.
  To the men and women who wear the badge and leave their homes every 
day to protect us and this building, we say thank you.
  I want to say particularly to Mrs. Eney-Cross and to the families of 
J.J. and John, J.J. and John and Christopher were men of character who 
loved their job, loved doing their job, wanted to be the best at it. 
They married women that were very, very strong women, and they had kids 
that are very strong kids. That has been shown throughout this year. 
The courage that the widows and the surviving family have shown over 
the last year has been exemplary and extraordinary.
  I could go through so many different times and issues that they stood 
there, strong, showing that they had a tremendous and deep abiding love 
for their lost ones, yet, at the same time, understood how great they 
were and wanted to be courageous for them.

                              {time}  1045

  Every time someone enters this building, the People's House, whether 
it is a Member of the Congress or a citizen of the United States or a 
visitor of another country, they are reminded of the job that our 
officers do and the sacrifices that our officers make to protect others 
and to protect this institution.
  I believe the wife of Sergeant Eney put it best when she said, ``It 
is not how these officers died that made them heroes, it is how they 
lived.''
  Like the scores of Capitol Police Officers who wake up every day and 
come to their jobs not knowing what the day will hold, these three 
Capitol Police Officers ultimately gave their lives because they had 
chosen to dedicate themselves to protecting others.
  These men are true American heroes who I am sure God has called to 
guard a much more precious gate. They will never be forgotten.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from 
Mississippi for yielding me this time. J.J. Chestnut, his wife Wen 
Ling, and his children, Joe Janece, Janet, Karen, William; Chris Eney 
and Vivian and their children; Detective John Gibson and Evelyn and 
Kristen, John and Daniel, their children, this is a wrenching day for 
them.
  Mr. Speaker, we have gone through recently another weekend of 
personalizing the loss of someone that most of us did not know 
personally. The Nation grieves as John Fitzgerald Kennedy went down in 
an unexpected accident on the way to a wedding. In many respects, J.J. 
Chestnut and John Gibson were the same. They got up, they went to work, 
and they did not return.
  One year ago this Friday, the Capitol Building was shaken by a 
maniacal and senseless shooting spree. This day reminds us once again 
that the risk is always present for those we ask to defend a free 
society. The vagaries of life are such that there are those either 
demented or angry or for whatever reasons that take unto themselves the 
opportunity to commit violence. And someone, too often many persons, 
pay the price.
  We lost Officer Jacob J. Chestnut and Detective John Gibson so that 
many others might be safe and to indicate that the Capitol of the 
United States, Freedom's House, if you will, will not only be 
accessible but also protected, so that the citizens in our gallery, the 
citizens in the Rotunda, the citizens who visit seeking their 
constitutional right of redress to petition their government or simply 
to see Freedom's House, a beacon, as some have said, for all the world.
  This past May, we rededicated the Capitol Police Headquarters in 
honor of Officer Chestnut, Detective Gibson and Officer Christopher 
Eney, who was the first Capitol Police Officer killed in the line of 
duty. This resolution complements the renaming of the headquarters 
building.
  Henceforth, every tourist, staffer, Member or indeed head of state 
who is taken through that door, the Memorial Door, will remember the 
public service of these men and the ultimate sacrifices that each of 
them made.
  While this resolution renaming the Document Door specifically honors 
Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson who died just inside the door or 
a few feet from it, the Memorial Door is in fact a tribute to all of 
the men and women of law enforcement who leave their homes each day and 
take to their duties to defend America's principles, to defend 
Americans, and to defend a civil and orderly society under law.
  Just down the street from this building, Mr. Speaker, stands the Law 
Enforcement Officers Memorial. Since last year's tragedy, the names of 
Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson have been added to a long list of 
fallen officers, including their colleague, Officer Eney, and others, 
from Prince Georges County, the county in which I lived for so long, 
the counties I now represent, and the counties and cities that every 
Member of this body represents who have lost sons and daughters, 
husbands and wives, friends and neighbors as they wore the badge and 
undertook the responsibility to defend freedom and a civil society.
  In the last year, we have taken some very positive steps in ensuring 
that this type of incident does not happen again. While we can never 
guarantee that there is not another shooting, the security enhancement 
plan is an important step in the right direction.
  With additional officers, acquisition of new equipment, and a 
restructuring of the department, we can work to decrease the chances of 
another shooting, another tragedy, while at the same time retaining the 
accessibility that the American public and the world have come to know 
and that this body wants to maintain.
  Let us, Mr. Speaker, not forget the ultimate sacrifice that these two 
brave officers made. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), so 
close to Detective Gibson and his family, so immediately affected by 
the senseless act of violence that took the life of Detective Gibson in 
the office of the gentleman from Texas, and those who knew Officer 
Chestnut, such a friendly, warm, engaging family man who cared about 
America, cared about his duty. We walked through that door and saw him 
so often and he was always pleasant, but always on alert.
  I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing this resolution 
forward. This solemn 1-year anniversary that we pass this resolution 
should be a reminder to us all that freedom is not free and some of our 
friends, some of our brothers and sisters, pay a very high price 
indeed.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking member of the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, of course I rise in support of this 
legislation to designate the Document Door of the U.S. Capitol as the 
``Memorial Door'' in honor of Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John 
Gibson. This legislation and this act in which we engage today is a 
poignant, even riveting reminder of how dramatically our Capitol 
environment has changed, how it too, this citadel of democracy, has 
become a victim of violence, caught in the cycle of violent tragedies 
that has

[[Page 16749]]

gripped other major cities of our country. But I, as I am sure a few 
other of our colleagues who have served here longer than I, can 
remember another time.
  When I started here on the staff of the House Post Office while a 
graduate student in Washington, D.C., I can remember taking friends 
through the Capitol as late as 10 and 11 o'clock at night without a 
security door, without a metal detector, with a Capitol Police force 
saying, ``Can we help you?'' You could walk just about anyplace in the 
Capitol. And how dramatically all of that has changed. That was even 
after a gunman broke in through that very door in the corner of the 
visitor gallery, pulled a gun in support of a cause that he and his 
associate, accomplice, deeply believed in, and fired indiscriminately 
on the House floor and struck five Members of Congress, including one 
who later became chairman of the Public Works Committee, George Fallon, 
fortunately none of them fatally. But we did not lock up the Capitol. 
We did not put up metal detectors. It was an aberrant act, out of 
keeping and out of character. And then later there was the bombing in 
the Senate wing of the Capitol in protest of the Vietnam War, but we 
did not put up metal detectors and we did not check people as they came 
into the Capitol grounds. But violence has gripped this place as well, 
and we have had to respond. And I think in the process we have come, I 
hope, all Members of Congress, and all of the visiting public, to look 
on the Capitol Police force not as just pleasant uniformed guides but 
as a highly skilled, trained security force with a duty to the public 
who visit this place, to the staff who work here, to the Members of 
Congress who serve here, that their first line of duty is their and our 
security, and that these two courageous and trained and skilled 
officers gave their lives in the line of duty to that ideal and that 
mission is a constant reminder of the very special force that protects 
this Capitol facility, this building and all who enter here.
  J.J. and John were men with very different backgrounds but honor-
bound together by a sense of duty on that hot July day. Detective 
Gibson had transferred through four different assignments before being 
promoted to detective and assigned to the Dignitary Protection 
Division. Officer Chestnut, an Air Force veteran, was assigned to the 
Capitol in 1980 and served throughout his career in this place.
  John was from Boston as our dear friend ranking member of the 
Committee on Rules the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) has 
said so poignantly and so powerfully. J.J. was from South Carolina. 
Both family men, both devoted to their wives and children, both 
exemplars of what we believe in and preach on this floor, a family and 
values. They gave their lives for their families, for their values, for 
us, for all who enter here.
  Let us all pray that the naming of this door in their honor will keep 
us all ever constantly mindful of the responsibility and the duty that 
the Capitol Police force undertakes in the public interest and that we 
are all eternally in their debt.
  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two 
extraordinary gentlemen who were taken from us much too soon--Officer 
JJ Chestnut and Detective John Gibson.
  It was a year ago that our whole nation came to know of the bravery 
and dedication of these two men. But those of us who were lucky enough 
to know them, already knew what remarkable men they were.
  Detective Gibson had been assigned to Congressman DeLay's security 
detail for years. As Chief Deputy Whip, I worked out of the whip office 
and came into daily contact with John. Although he was assigned to 
protect Congressman DeLay, he was also responsible for the security of 
our whole office. This was a duty he relished, and it was easy to feel 
safe when John was around.
  Officer Chestnut had been stationed at the Document Door for many 
years. That happened to be the door I used every day on my way into and 
out of the Capitol. Officer Chestnut was the last person I would say 
good night to on my way home every evening. And his family and friends 
already know, he was a quiet, warm and giving person.
  This week, we will rededicate the Document Door, renaming it the 
Memorial Door in honor of these two men. It is fitting that we do this. 
These two men embodied the best of our Congressional community, the 
best of law enforcement and the best of America.
  JJ and John--you are still remembered fondly and still missed dearly.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call the attention of our 
colleagues the sad fact that this week marks the first anniversary of 
one of the most unfortunate incidents in American history, the time 
that the security of the ``people's house'' was breached and two 
Capitol police officers gave their lives to protect what is sacred to 
all of us.
  Detective John Gibson and Officer Jacob ``J.J.'' Chestnut were well 
known to most of us. Their professionalism coupled with their genuine 
outgoing graciousness made both of them legendary to all of us on 
Capitol Hill long before this unfortunate tragedy immortalized them 
forever.
  Their courage in facing the assault by Russel Weston, Jr., may have 
saved countless lives. We will never know how many innocent tourists, 
visitors to the Capitol, staffers, and perhaps Members of this Chamber 
themselves would have met harm had not Gibson and Chestnut been 
prepared not only to halt the outbreak of violence, but also to put 
their own lives on the line in doing so.
  Detective Gibson was the partner of a former Capitol Hill policeman 
who was married to a member of my Congressional staff. Accordingly, I 
came to meet him frequently in my offices, and was always impressed 
with his gracious professionalism.
  Officer Chestnut was the duty officer at an entrance which I utilized 
frequently. I cannot recall a single instance when he was not cheery 
and outgoing in his greetings.
  Last year, both of these courageous law enforcement officers lay in 
state in the Capitol rotunda. Officer Chestnut, in fact, proved to be 
the first African American to be accorded that honor. Yet, any honors 
this body may devise are of small consolation to their loving families 
who will always be touched by this tragic loss.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to participate in this memorial as a way of 
reminding us that we all face danger in today's confused world, and 
that we must never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice for all 
of us.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I 
would say that the Speaker certainly wished to be here. He is 
unavoidably detained in a very important meeting. But I know the 
Speaker joins all of us in this and indeed he feels this is so 
important that he has asked that we have a recorded vote on this, so I 
would announce that at this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Calvert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 158, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 417, 
nays 0, not voting 17, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 311]

                               YEAS--417

     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Andrews
     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baldacci
     Baldwin
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Barrett (WI)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Becerra
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Bryant
     Burr
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardin
     Carson
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chenoweth
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coburn
     Collins
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cummings
     Cunningham
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis (VA)
     Deal

[[Page 16750]]


     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     DeMint
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Filner
     Fletcher
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fossella
     Fowler
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gejdenson
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Green (TX)
     Green (WI)
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hansen
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayes
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill (IN)
     Hill (MT)
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoeffel
     Hoekstra
     Holt
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inslee
     Isakson
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jenkins
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson, E.B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     Kuykendall
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Largent
     Larson
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Lucas (KY)
     Lucas (OK)
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
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     McCarthy (NY)
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     Meehan
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (FL)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Minge
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Moore
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ose
     Owens
     Oxley
     Packard
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pease
     Pelosi
     Peterson (MN)
     Petri
     Phelps
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Ryan (WI)
     Ryun (KS)
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaffer
     Schakowsky
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Sherwood
     Shimkus
     Shows
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sisisky
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Souder
     Spence
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stump
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Sweeney
     Talent
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Terry
     Thomas
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tierney
     Toomey
     Traficant
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Visclosky
     Vitter
     Walden
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watkins
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--17

     Abercrombie
     Baker
     Coble
     Combest
     Danner
     English
     Fattah
     Hinchey
     Holden
     Jefferson
     Kennedy
     Lewis (GA)
     McDermott
     Ortiz
     Peterson (PA)
     Stark
     Towns

                              {time}  1127

  So (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof), the rules were 
suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 311, I was inadvertently 
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

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