[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9458]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  TRIBUTE TO NATION'S POLICE OFFICERS

  (Ms. SANCHEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the police officers 
of this Nation, especially those of the 46th Congressional District of 
California, Orange County police officers.
  Seven hundred thousand police officers serve the United States each 
day. Most Americans probably do not know that our Nation loses on an 
average one officer every other day. That does not include the ones 
that are assaulted and injured each year.
  More than 14,000 officers have been killed in the line of duty. The 
sacrifice for California officers is the greatest: 1,205.
  The calling to serve in law enforcement comes with bravery and 
sacrifice. The thin blue line protecting our homes, our businesses, our 
families, our communities pay a price. So do the loved ones that they 
leave behind when the tragedy strikes.
  We cannot replace the officers we lose. We cannot bring them back to 
their families or departments. All we can do is grieve their loss.
  Today we fulfill the most solemn part of our obligation to America's 
police officers. We promise that, when they do make the sacrifice, that 
he or she earns a place of the highest national distinction and respect 
from the United States Government.

                          ____________________