[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 17, Chapters 34 - 40]
[Ch. 36. Ceremonies and Awards]
[Â§15. âHonoring Slain Capitol Police Officers]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 207-210]
 
                               CHAPTER 36
 
                         Ceremonies and Awards
 
Sec. 15. --Honoring Slain Capitol Police Officers

    Capitol Police officers John Michael Gibson and Jacob Joseph 
Chestnut were slain in the line of duty by an intruder armed with a gun 
at 3:40 p.m. on July 24, 1998. The House adopted House Concurrent 
Resolution 310, honoring the officers in a number of ways: by 
authorizing the Sergeant at Arms to make payments in connection

[[Page 208]]

with funeral expenses, authorizing the Chief Administrative Officer to 
pay a gratuity to their surviving spouses,(1) and 
authorizing the use of the Rotunda for a memorial service(2) 
in memory of the officers. The House also adopted House Concurrent 
Resolution 311 honoring the memory of the officers and marking the 
day's adjournment in respect of their memory.(3)
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 1. See Ch. 38, Sec. 3.5 infra.
 2. Ibid.
 3. See 144 Cong. Rec. 17440-67, 105th Cong. 2d Sess., July 27, 1998.
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    The bodies of Officers Chestnut and Gibson were placed ``in honor'' 
in the Capitol Rotunda. The distinction of ``lying in honor'' was 
created for the occasion and served to distinguish this event from 
those where the bodies of government officials ``lay in state.''
    On Oct. 15, 1998, the House adopted a concurrent resolution 
redesignating the United States Capitol Police headquarters building as 
the ``Eney, Chestnut, Gibson Memorial Building''.(4) In the 
year following the shootings, the House adopted a concurrent resolution 
designating the Document Door of the Capitol as the Chestnut-Gibson 
``Memorial Door''.(5)
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 4. See Sec. 22.3, infra.
 5. See Sec. 22.2, infra.
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    The Speaker has led the House in a moment of silence at 3:40 p.m. 
on the anniversary of the shootings.(6)
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 6. See, e.g., 152 Cong. Rec. 15548, 109th Cong. 2d Sess., July 24, 
        2006; 151 Cong. Rec. 17180, 109th Cong. 1st Sess., July 25, 
        2005; 149 Cong. Rec. 19461, 19462, 108th Cong. 1st Sess., July 
        24, 2003; 147 Cong. Rec. 14308, 107th Cong. 1st Sess., July 24, 
        2001; and 146 Cong. Rec. 15902, 106th Cong. 2d Sess., July 24, 
        2000.                          -------------------
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Sec. 15.1 The House by unanimous consent adopted a Senate concurrent 
    resolution providing for the printing and distribution of eulogies 
    for the two slain police officers.

    On July 27, 1998,(1) the following proceedings took 
place:
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 1. 144 Cong. Rec. 17467, 17468, 105th Cong. 2d. Sess.
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         PRINTING OF EULOGIES AND TEXT OF MEMORIAL SERVICES AS TRIBUTE 
        TO DETECTIVE JOHN MICHAEL GIBSON AND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JACOB 
              JOSEPH CHESTNUT OF THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE

        Mr. [Bill] THOMAS [of California]. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
    consent for the immediate consideration of the Senate concurrent 
    resolution (S. Con. Res. 112) to authorize the printing of the 
    eulogies of the Senate and the House of Representatives for 
    Detective John Michael Gibson and Private First Class Jacob Joseph 
    Chestnut.

[[Page 209]]

        The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
        The SPEAKER.(2) Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from California?
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 2. Newt Gingrich (GA).
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        There was no objection.
        The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:

                                S. Con. Res. 112

            Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
        concurring), That the eulogies for Detective John Michael 
        Gibson and Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut of the 
        United States Capitol Police, as expressed in the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate together with the text of the 
        memorial services, shall be printed as a tribute to Detective 
        Gibson and Officer Chestnut, with illustrations and suitable 
        binding. The document shall be prepared under the direction of 
        the Joint Committee on Printing. These shall be printed 300 
        casebound copies; 50 to be delivered to each of the families of 
        Detective Gibson and Officer Chestnut, and 200 for the use of 
        the United States Capitol Police.

        The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

Sec. 15.2 After the prayer, approval of the Journal, and the pledge of 
    allegiance to the flag on a second legislative day dedicated to 
    honoring the memory of Officers Chestnut and Gibson, the Chair (1) 
    entertained one-minute speeches and five-minute special order 
    speeches; (2) declared a recess until a time certain; (3) after the 
    recess entertained a motion for a call of the House; (4) declared 
    another recess during which Members proceeded to the Rotunda for a 
    viewing of the slain officers; (5) adjourned in honor of the memory 
    of the two slain officers; and (6) announced that Members would 
    proceed en masse through the double doors opposite the rostrum to a 
    memorial service in the Rotunda.

    On July 28, 1998,(1) the Chair entertained one-minute 
speeches and five-minute special order speeches and then declared a 
recess until a time certain:
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 1. 144 Cong. Rec. 17480-82, 17500, 17501, 105th Cong. 2d Sess.
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                    ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

        The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) The chair would now 
    entertain 1-minute requests and then 5-minute special orders until 
    11:30. . . . 
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 2. Richard Burr (NC).                          -------------------
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                                     RECESS

        The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina). Pursuant 
    to clause 12 of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess 
    until approximately 11:30 a.m.

[[Page 210]]

        Accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 17 minutes a.m.), the House 
    stood in recess until approximately 11:30 
    a.m.                          -------------------

                                  AFTER RECESS

        The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the 
    Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina) at 11 o'clock and 
    30 minutes a.m.                          -------------------

                               CALL OF THE HOUSE

        Mr. [Ken] CALVERT [of California]. Mr. Speaker, I move a call 
    of the House.
        A call of the House was ordered.
        The call was taken by electronic device, and the following 
    Members responded to their names:

                              [Roll No. 341] . . 
                 .                          -------------------

                    ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE

        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will proceed through the 
    center doors to the Rotunda for the viewing of Detective John 
    Gibson and Officer Jacob 
    Chestnut.                          -------------------

                                     RECESS

        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12 of rule I, the 
    House stands in recess until approximately 1 p.m.
        Accordingly (at 11 o'clock and 56 minutes a.m.) the House stood 
    in recess until approximately 1 
    p.m.                          -------------------

                                  AFTER RECESS

        The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the 
    Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina) at 1 p.m. . . 
    .                          -------------------

                                  ADJOURNMENT

        Mr. [Gil] GUTKNECHT [of Minnesota]. Mr. Speaker, in honor of 
    the memory of John Michael Gibson and Jacob Joseph Chestnut, I move 
    that the House do now adjourn.
        The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced 
    that the ayes appeared to have it.
        Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
        The yeas and nays were ordered.
        The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 
    392, nays 0, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 41, as follows:

                              [Roll No. 342] . . .

        So the motion was agreed to.
        The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
        (Following adjournment of the House, the Speaker pro tempore 
    announced that Members should proceed through the double doors to 
    the memorial service).