Expressing the gratitude and appreciation of the House of Representatives to the professionalism and dedication of the United States Capitol Police as the House honors the 10th Anniversary of the tragic deaths of Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson, who lost their lives protecting the Capitol and the people inside from an armed attack.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 645) expressing the gratitude and appreciation of the House of Representatives to the professionalism and dedication of the United States Capitol Police, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous matter on the resolution now under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I am delighted to offer this motion. The Capitol Police earn and deserve our gratitude every day of the year as they work hard under unique and trying circumstances. They are constantly here, even when we are not, making the Capitol complex and all who work in and visit these hallowed halls safe.

Under the leadership of Chief Phillip Morse and his team, with the support of officers represented by Matt Tighe of the Fraternal Order of Police, and of civilians led by Karen Gray-Thomas of the Teamsters unit, the Capitol Police work wonders, enabling us to conduct our business without worry. Beyond their day-to-day shifts, the Capitol Police routinely demonstrate their dedication, as recently when 600 officers reported one weekend to cope with a political demonstration.

The Capitol Police perform such feats daily, without comment or complaint. It is an honor to chair the subcommittee that oversees this fine organization and to support them as they discharge their mission every day of the year.

I thank the gentleman from Florida for introducing this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, once again I thank the gentleman from Florida for introducing this resolution. I also thank the Capitol Police for the fine job they perform for us every day of the year, making our work in Congress possible.

It's great that we offer a resolution today commending them, and it's sad that we have to have a 10-year anniversary tomorrow for the two police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.

I think the most befitting thing we can do for them and for our police officers is to say hello to them, say ``How are you? How's your day?'' instead of running by them for a vote, running out, leaving, going to our offices. They're people, too. They're great men and women. They do a great job. We do thank them for their job. But we should take a moment or two to have a little conversation with them and let them know, not only one day a year, not today, not tomorrow, but every time we pass by them, to thank them for keeping us safe.

We walk in this building through metal detectors, dogs. They check our cars and we're safe as can be and we're safe as can be because of them. When there's a problem and we have to evacuate, we're running out and they're running in. We ought to let them know every single day that we appreciate them.

With that, I urge an ``aye'' vote.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 645, which expresses the gratitude and appreciation of the House of Representatives for the professionalism and dedication of the United States Capitol Police.

As long ago as 1801, when John Goldman, the Capitol's first watchman, was appointed, there have been brave men and women charged with risking their own lives to protect Members of Congress. With the passage of time, the threat to the Congress has evolved, and with it so too have the Capitol Police become a world-class law enforcement body.

Over the years the development of the Internet and various telecommunications devices that have proved revolutionary to all Americans have had the unintended consequence of providing new ways for criminals to communicate with each other in order to plan more elaborate attacks. As their attacks have become more sophisticated, the Capitol Police have had to adjust their protocols and skills to stay a step ahead of the perpetrators.

As discussed with the previous resolution, tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of a tragic accident that took the

lives of two heroes, Jacob Joseph Chestnut and John Gibson, who were killed in the line of duty when a deranged gunman stormed this very building. Their deaths are a stark reminder of the great peril that Capitol Police officers face each day. With the terrorist attacks of 9/ 11 came new threats and heightened awareness that there are those for whom destruction of the Capitol and its inhabitants would be cause for celebration.

This sobering reality is one that the Capitol Police must live with each day. Yet even with the burden they carry, the Capitol Police greet members, staff, and visitors alike with a welcome demeanor and reassuring presence. They are often the first face we see when we a arrive at the beginning of the day and the last person we say goodnight to as we leave. This resolution serves as a tribute to each of those men and women who bravely stand between us and those who would do us harm.

For these reasons I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 645.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart), the sponsor of the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I want to first thank the ranking member and the chairman for bringing this resolution forward.

All of us in this great body are fortunate to have great police officers in our home districts, in our home communities, in our hometowns. Our local police departments keep our communities and our families safe, and all of us greatly appreciate their hard work and their sacrifice.

But we must also always recognize and always remember the officers who keep this Capitol community safe. Nearly 3 million tourists from across the country and across the globe visit this Capitol every single year. The Capitol Police keep the Capitol complex safe and secure for our constituents, for our staffs, for our families, and for all of us who have the privilege to work here every day. And among their stated mission is to protect and support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities, and they do so every single day with great courage, with great courtesy, with great dignity.

The United States Capitol Police are on the front lines of the war on terrorism as well, and they remain on constant alert against multiple threats to the Capitol complex and all of those who work and visit this complex.

Unfortunately, as we have already heard before, tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the deaths of Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson, who lost their lives protecting the Capitol and other people inside from an armed attacker. This is a very solemn reminder, Madam Speaker, of the dangers that the Capitol Police face on a regular basis on our behalf. I call on this body to express its gratitude and appreciation to their professionalism and all of the officers as we remember the horrible events of 10 years ago. These officers put their lives on the line and, unfortunately, paid the ultimate price. We could not do our jobs effectively without them.

So as the chairman said, let's not only support this resolution and thank the Capitol Police today. Every single day that we are here, let's remember the job that they do for all of us, for our country. Let's thank them. Let's appreciate them.