[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7249]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    A SLAP IN THE FACE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS--SUM TOTAL OR NOT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 5, 2011, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Nugent) is recognized 
for 30 minutes.
  Mr. NUGENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to get something off my chest.
  Last night, the President hosted a poetry event at the White House. 
The invitation of one of his guests has sparked a lot of anger, and let 
me explain why.
  The musician wrote a song in which he vocally supports a convicted 
cop killer and her escape from jail. Oh, by the way, she's still at 
large, living in Cuba, living the good life. It may not mean much to 
some, but I've got a serious problem with this.
  Before coming to Congress, I spent 37 years as a cop. I lost friends 
in the line of duty, and I'm not the only one. As we speak here right 
now, police officers--thousands of them--are coming to Washington, 
D.C., to go to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Tomorrow night, 
those men and women will attend a candlelight vigil to honor those law 
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This is the 23rd 
Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers 
Memorial. This year, it will also include a 36-year-old father of 
three, who was struck down last Tuesday night.
  The White House press secretary said the President opposes the lyrics 
in question but that they do not represent the sum total of the 
artist's work.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm sure I don't care. It's not the point.
  The point is that you've got thousands of men and women in law 
enforcement who put their lives on the line every day for this great 
Nation, just like our troops, and the President invited to the White 
House someone who supports and glorifies a convicted killer of a police 
officer--an officer who volunteered to protect his community. He was a 
husband and a father. The loss was not only to that community but to 
America.
  Our law enforcement officers are the first line of defense for 
America. Mr. President, can you not see what this means to the people 
who put their lives on the line every day? It's a slap in the face--sum 
total or not.

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