[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6763-6764]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS' 
                            MEMORIAL SERVICE

  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 38) authorizing the 
use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial 
Service.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 38

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL PEACE 
                   OFFICERS' MEMORIAL SERVICE.

       (a) In General.--The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of 
     Police and its auxiliary (in this resolution referred to as 
     the ``sponsor'') shall be permitted to sponsor a public 
     event, the 28th annual National Peace Officers' Memorial 
     Service (in this resolution referred to as the ``event''), on 
     the Capitol Grounds, in order to honor the law enforcement 
     officers who died in the line of duty during 2008.
       (b) Date of Event.--The event shall be held on May 15, 
     2009, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate jointly designate.

     SEC. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

       (a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the 
     Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the 
     event shall be--
       (1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
       (2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
       (b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsor shall assume 
     full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident 
     to all activities associated with the event.

     SEC. 3. EVENT PREPARATIONS.

       Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, 
     the sponsor is authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds 
     such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related 
     structures and equipment, as may be required for the event.

     SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.

       The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of 
     the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, 
     United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, 
     displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well 
     as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in 
     connection with the event.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Ms. Edwards) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-
Balart) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlelady from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on House 
Concurrent Resolution 38.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 38, 
which authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the 28th National 
Peace Officers' Memorial Service.
  According to the National Law Enforcement Fund, 140 Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 
2008. These officers will be honored at this memorial service. During 
2008, 15 women officers were killed; the average age of all officers 
killed was 40 years; and the average years of service was 12 years. 
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, there 
are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the 
United States.
  In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which 
designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which 
that date falls as Police Week. This first official memorial service 
took place on May 15, 1982, at which 91 law enforcement officers were 
honored. Over the past 28 years, the memorial service has honored over 
3,000 law enforcement officers from around our Nation. This event has 
become one in a series of well-attended events during Police Week. I 
urge support for this resolution.
  Activities on the Capitol grounds conducted under House Concurrent 
Resolution 38 will be coordinated with the Office of the Architect of 
the Capitol, and will be free and open to the public. I support this 
resolution and urge its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland has done a great job explaining this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 38, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds 
for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service on May 15, 2009.
  In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation 
which designated May 15th as National Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and 
the week in which that date falls as ``Police Week''. Each year on this 
day, our country honors the devotion and service of the peace officers 
who protect our neighborhoods, our cities, our friends, and our 
families.
  This year's Memorial Service will honor the more than 140 Federal, 
state, and local law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty 
during 2008, and will mark the 28th time the Capitol grounds will be 
used for this noteworthy event. During 2008, 41 officers were killed by 
gun fire, 71 officers were killed in traffic related accidents, and 15 
women were killed in the line of duty.
  Activities on the Capitol Grounds conducted under H. Con. Res. 38 
will be coordinated with the Architect of the Capitol, will be free, 
and open to the public.
  The selfless work of our police and firemen has always been a model 
of courage and moral strength. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting H. Con. Res. 38.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. 
Res. 38, ``Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National 
Peace Officers' Memorial Service'', introduced by Delegate Eleanor 
Holmes Norton, of the District of Columbia. I would also like to thank 
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton for her leadership on this.
  Everyday, men and women from all over the nation put their lives on 
the line to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy. They have taken an 
oath to serve and protect us from dangers both seen and unseen, and do 
so with distinction and great diligence. This very brave group of 
people put aside all fears and inhibitions,

[[Page 6764]]

risking their health, well-being, and comfort of their families to 
serve in a capacity that few desire. I believe it to be a worthy honor 
to have the Capitol grounds used for the memorial services.
  Many believe that police officers have the most stress filled jobs. 
There's no question that police officers experience stressful 
situations with more frequency than most people. While municipals hire 
and pay individual policemen, they seldom consider that the entire 
family endures the pains of the job, many of which have a deleterious 
affect on the family. The job and family simultaneously creates an 
environment that can be managed by few. Given the many sacrifices 
officers make during their lives for our rights and privileges, the 
burdens on the family should be few and minimized. Using the Capitol 
grounds for memorial services offers appreciation to not only the 
officer, but to the entire family, which they so graciously deserve.
  Washington, DC, our nation's capital, is filled with memorials and 
museums that help us to remember the countless sacrifices that men and 
women have made for the freedoms of our great nation. We are a nation 
who knows the importance of erecting these symbols to help us remember 
those who fought and died for the greater good.
  The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the 
armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who 
supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of 
the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, 
and commitment of the American people.
  The Veteran's Memorial, which is a gleaming black granite wall etched 
with the names of the 60,000 soldiers who died in Vietnam or remain 
missing in action. While it does nothing to diminish the tears of 
families who visit year after year; however, it permanently helps them 
recognize that their dying was not in vain and that the government of 
the United States remembers their sacrifice.
  There are veterans and other exceptional individuals buried at 
Arlington National Cemetery from the Revolutionary War to the present 
military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since May of 1864, Arlington 
has been a fully operational National Cemetery. Today, the cemetery 
performs services for military casualties from the Iraqi and 
Afghanistan war fronts, as well as the aging World War II veterans.
  This country has a long history of recognizing soldiers who have 
fallen fighting foreign threats. This country must also recognize those 
who fall fighting domestic threats. Therefore, I stand in support of H. 
Con. Res. 38, ``Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.''
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 38.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. 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. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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