[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9618]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HOUSTON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise this morning with a 
heavy burden for the Houston community and Harris County. I want to 
offer my deepest respect and sympathy to the families and friends and 
community of two very brave law enforcement officers, who lost their 
lives in Houston, Texas, Harris County, this week.
  First, Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Dennis, 35 years old, 
was shot to death just a couple of days ago. Then, following his tragic 
death, Albert Vasquez, along with officer Enrique Duharte-Tur, were 
shot. Officer Duharte-Tur was injured and is now in critical condition, 
but, sadly, we lost our brother, Albert Vasquez.
  It is important to realize that as we are a Nation of laws, we commit 
ourselves to being law-abiding, and respect the fact that our officers 
are there every day, men and women, to protect us. And we recognize 
that though we may have discussions on the best way to uphold the civil 
liberties of all Americans, we certainly do not in any way take away 
from the ultimate sacrifice that these brave men and women are willing 
to commit.
  So let me offer to the families, there are no words that can replace 
a loved one, particularly one who has gone off to do his or her duty, 
in the line of danger, and does not return home to wife and children, 
and mother and father, aunts and uncles and cousins. These were tragic 
incidents, ones that I am appalled at.
  It certainly speaks to the issue of where we go in this country; the 
proliferation of guns, the tragedy of young people who have lost their 
way and would be, if you will, directed to, inclined to, do such 
violent and terrible acts.
  We hope the perpetrators are quickly brought to justice in this 
community. But as we move into Memorial Day, I would offer to say that 
these very fine gentleman should be acknowledged, appreciated, and 
their families prayed for.
  Might I also add that this is Memorial Day weekend, and I would like 
to say to America, but particularly my community, because I am so much 
reminded of the men and women out of the Houston area, the 18th 
Congressional District and the State of Texas who gave up their lives 
in the line of duty in the militaries of the United States of America.
  So as we leave this place, I would say to all, there may be those who 
are about to join their families for a good time, but I am very much 
aware that we should also be joining our families and appreciate the 
freedom that we have in this country. We have it because of the men and 
women who gave the ultimate sacrifice, whom we should be honoring on 
Memorial Day and every day, as those men and women gave their lives for 
us.
  Freedom is not free, and we hold these truths to be self-evident, 
that we all are created equal, the men and women who have offered 
themselves in service and ultimately did not return to us, that we 
appreciate this Memorial Day weekend.
  It is my privilege to serve in the United States Congress, but that 
honor and the right to engage in democratic principles and debate is 
all because military men and women serve around this Nation, even 
today, but, more importantly, that they fought in wars, like World War 
I and World War II, the Korean War, conflicts, and Vietnam.
  So it is my special privilege to be able to say to them, thank you, 
thank you, thank you, for ultimately we all are better off because you 
lived.
  Might I finish, Madam Speaker, because this is a serious time in our 
country, many have watched the happenings of the last era, or the last 
24 hours, and they watched it with surprise. But might I say to the 
American people and to my colleagues in particular, bless us for having 
a democracy that allows change to occur peacefully.
  I am disappointed that we would take this wonderful time in these few 
closings moments of this Congress before the Memorial Day holiday to 
deal with issues like tax cuts, that really do not address the people I 
have just spoken to, the people who need. I would have hoped we would 
be addressing the questions of protecting and providing better energy 
services for our country. But I hope we will be able to do that as we 
return.

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