Extending congratulations to the United States Capitol Police on the occasion of its 175th anniversary and expressing gratitude to the men and women of the United States Capitol Police and their families for their devotion to duty and service in safeguarding the freedoms of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I am an original co-sponsor of H. Con. Res. 156, honoring the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police as they celebrate the 175th anniversary of the police force.

Congress established the Capitol Police during the administration of John Quincy Adams. Ponder how different the world was then, when the U.S. Congress was a young and largely untested deliberative body located in a relatively isolated town that was as much wilderness as it was settled territory.

In the last 175 years, the world has changed immeasurably, and so has the work of the Capitol Police.

Today the U.S. Capitol--which is simultaneously a national shrine, tourist attraction, and working office building--imposes extraordinary security requirements.

For example, more than three million tourists visited the Capitol complex in 2000. At the same time, the Capitol hosted more than 1,200 American and foreign dignitaries and 1,000 special events, and was the site of nearly 500 scheduled demonstrations. In addition to lawmakers and their staffs, a sizable number of journalists, concerned citizens, lobbyists, and service personnel also work within the Capitol complex.

To address these security requirements while keeping Congress as open and accessible as the Framers of the Constitution intended, the mission of the Capitol Police has expanded to provide the Congressional community and visitors with the highest possible quality of a full range of police services. These services are provided through the use of a variety of specialty support units and a network of foot patrols, vehicular patrols, and fixed posts.

In modern times, the Capitol Police have also had to cope with emergencies, bombings and shootings, including the tragic 1998 murders of Officer J.J. Chestnut and Detective John Gibson, that remain so painfully fresh in our memories.

After that tragic event, Congress properly heightened Capitol security, adopting a posture that requires considerable additional manpower. Recent events in the Middle East and elsewhere have obviously underscored the need for more officers and greater security. Fortunately, additional resources have been provided.

Congress has appropriated money to fund all the additional officers the Capitol Police can hire and train. Supplemental funds have also been provided to address needs identified since September 11, 2001.

Today, the Capitol Police face evolving threats from those who, for whatever reason, wish our country and our democracy harm. What was unthinkable only 18 months ago, has been done. We must remain vigilant and prepared as we work to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism and preserve and expand the promise of peace and democracy.

We will continue to rely on the Capitol Police as the first line of defense for the People's House and all who work and visit here.

The men and women of the Capitol Police meet their challenges with courage and a level of professionalism not exceeded anywhere. Since the dastardly attacks of September 11, and again after the heightened security level of the past few months, Capitol Police officers, under the able leadership of Chief Terrance Gainer, have worked long hours under adverse conditions. These men and women clearly represent the best that America has to offer.

I want to express my personal thanks for a job well done and wish the United States Capitol Police a sincere and happy 175th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the H. Con. Res. 156.

Mr. Speaker, I am an original co-sponsor of H. Con. Res.

156, honoring the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police as they celebrate the 175th anniversary of the police force.

Congress established the Capitol Police during the administration of John Quincy Adams. Ponder how different the world was then, when the U.S. Congress was a young and largely untested deliberative body located in a relatively isolated town that was as much wilderness as it was settled territory.

In the last 175 years, the world has changed immeasurably, and so has the work of the Capitol Police.

Today the U.S. Capitol--which is simultaneously a national shrine, tourist attraction, and working office building--imposes extraordinary security requirements.

For example, more than three million tourists visited the Capitol complex in 2000. At the same time, the Capitol hosted more than 1,200 American and foreign dignitaries and 1,000 special events, and was the site of nearly 500 scheduled demonstrations. In addition to lawmakers and their staffs, a sizable number of journalists, concerned citizens, lobbyists, and service personnel also work within the Capitol complex.

To address these security requirements while keeping Congress as open and accessible as the Framers of the Constitution intended, the mission of the Capitol Police has expanded to provide the Congressional community and visitors with the highest possible quality of a full range of police services. These services are provided through the use of a variety of specialty support units and a network of foot patrols, vehicular patrols, and fixed posts.

In modern times, the Capitol Police have also had to cope with emergencies, bombings and shootings, including the tragic 1998 murders of Officer J.J. Chestnut and Detective John Gibson, that remain so painfully fresh in our memories.

After that tragic event, Congress properly heightened Capitol security, adopting a posture that requires considerable additional manpower. Recent events in the Middle East and elsewhere have obviously underscored the need for more officers and greater security. Fortunately, additional resources have been provided.

Congress has appropriated money to fund all the additional officers the Capitol Police can hire and train. Supplemental funds have also been provided to address needs identified since September 11, 2001.

Today, the Capitol Police face evolving threats from those who, for whatever reason, wish our country and our democracy harm. What was unthinkable only 18 months ago, has been done. We must remain vigilant and prepared as we work to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism and preserve and expand the promise of peace and democracy.

We will continue to rely on the Capitol Police as the first line of defense for the People's House and all who work and visit here.

The men and women of the Capitol Police meet their challenges with courage and a level of professionalism not exceeded anywhere. Since the dastardly attacks of September 11, and again after the heightened security level of the past few months, Capitol Police officers, under the able leadership of Chief Terrance Gainer, have worked long hours under adverse conditions. These men and women clearly represent the best that America has to offer.

I want to express my personal thanks for a job well done and wish the United States Capitol Police a sincere and happy 175th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H. Con. Res. 156.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 156) extending congratulations to the United States Capitol Police on the occasion of its 175th anniversary and expressing gratitude to the men and women of the United States Capitol Police and their families for their devotion to duty and service in safeguarding the freedoms of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express the gratitude of the United States Congress to its men, women, and families of the United States Capitol Police as they celebrate its 175th anniversary. The selfless dedication of the United States Capitol Police and their commitment to safeguarding not only us but the freedoms of the American people do not go unappreciated.

Officially established in 1828 under the direction of President John Quincy Adams, the U.S. Capitol Police has grown from its humble beginnings into a first-rate, highly-professional force of over 1,700 officers and employees.

Over the course of its existence, U.S. Capitol Police has developed a number of specialized units, including K-9, Intelligence, Emergency Preparedness, Civil Disturbance, Criminal Investigation, Threat Assessment, Dignitary Protection, Physical Security, Electronic Countermeasures, Technical Security, Hazardous Devices, and the Containment and Emergency Response Team, as well as a skilled administrative staff.

We all know, however, that freedom has its sacrifices, and the U.S. Capitol Police have certainly paid its share of this price. We remember that as the first line of defense for the Nation's Capital, the United States Capitol Police Force has endured the tragic deaths of Sergeant Christopher Eney in 1984, Private First Class Jacob J. Chestnut, and Detective John Michael Gibson, both of whom were killed in 1998. All of these men were slain in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, every day these brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect us and this institution; and while these dangers are an unfortunate reality of their jobs, I would like for them to know that their efforts do not go unnoticed; nor are they forgotten.

Today, however, we stand here not only to recognize the sacrifice of the U.S. Capitol Police, but also to celebrate the efforts of the thousands of men and women who have served with this organization. As such, on behalf of the United States Congress, I would again like to extend a heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the men and women of the United States Capitol Police, past and present, for their 175 years of courage, strength and commitment to serve and protect the people of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this concurrent resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, when Congress moved from Philadelphia to Washington, DC in 1801, a lone watchman by the name of John Golding had the responsibility of guarding the Capitol facility and its functions. In 1828, the United States Capitol Police was officially established to safeguard the freedoms of the American people, and to protect the Nation's Capitol and the United States Congress. Now, 175 years later, and despite an ever-changing environment, these core functions of the United States Capitol Police are still the defining tenets of its mission. Today, on behalf of the United States Congress and the American people, I am very pleased to extend heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the United States Capitol Police on its 175th anniversary.

From its humble beginnings until today, the Capitol Police has remained true to its mission, and has grown to meet new challenges and responsibilities. It has developed specialized and expert units, and these specialized units are complemented by a skilled and professional administrative support staff. The challenges of the new century have shown the United States Capitol Police to be dedicated, selfless, and highly flexible. The Capitol Police force, which now numbers over 1,700 sworn and civilian personnel, is a highly professionalized force essential to the protection of the core elements of our democratic process.

The history of the United States Capitol Police has not been without sacrifice. After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Capitol Police were asked to work incredible hours in defense of the Capitol, visitors, staff, and members, often working 12 hour shifts for six days a week. Sadly, the sacrifices of the Capitol Police have not been without tragedy. As the first line of defense of the Nation's Capitol, Sergeant Christopher Eney, Private First Class Jacob J. Chestnut, and Detective John Michael Gibson each made the ultimate

sacrifice, tragically dying in the line of duty. This dedication to the safety and well being of others exemplifies the commitment of the men, women, and families of the United States Capitol Police.

On the occasion of its 175th anniversary, the United States Congress and the American people express the sincerest gratitude to the men and women of the United States Capitol Police and their families for their devotion to duty and service in safeguarding the freedoms of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, the operative clause of this resolution says simply that ``Congress and the American people extend heartfelt congratulations to the United States Capitol Police on the occasion its 175th anniversary, and express the sincerest gratitude to the men and women of the United States Capitol Police and their families, and in particular,'' as the gentleman from Georgia mentioned, ``the Eney, Chestnut and Gibson families, for their devotion to duty and service in safeguarding the freedoms of the American people.''

It is hard to imagine that in the vaunted history of the Capitol Police, that we went from a single watchman in 1801 to the force that we now have today; from the perils of the War of 1812 to the perils of the war against terror. The men and women who wear the uniform here in the Capitol have served us extraordinarily well.

I want to rise and commend the efforts of Chief Gainer and what they have been able to accomplish here in the Capitol, protecting the Members this body, the staffs, and the many tourists who come here on a regular basis. It was not lost on any Member of Congress that during the events of September 11 that it was the men and women who wear the uniform who were our first responders. The fact of the matter is that the Capitol Police are our first responders and have performed extraordinarily well over their 175-year career.

Again, I just would like to echo the words of my esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder), in saluting the men and women of the Capitol Police who have done an extraordinary job on all of our behalves.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave