Honoring police officers and law enforcement professionals during Police Week.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney) for introducing H. Res. 426, which honors police officers and law enforcement professionals during National Police Week. I'm pleased to cosponsor this resolution that supports the brave men and women who wear the badge, as well as all the professionals who support them in their mission throughout the country, especially their families.

As they continue to protect and serve, we take a moment to salute them for everything that they do every day, much of which goes unnoticed. We're able to go about our daily routines because officers in small towns and big cities and in rural areas throughout this country stand ready to take those risks on our behalf.

Each year, 50,000--50,000--peace officers are assaulted in the United States. On May 17, 1792, New York City's Deputy Sheriff Isaac Smith became the first recorded police officer to be killed in the line of duty in the United States. Since that time, 19,705 peace officers have been killed while on duty protecting the rest of us.

In 2008, 140 officers died in the line of duty while upholding the values that make this country great--duty, honor, sacrifice. Those values and their sacrifice are a somber reminder that the freedoms that we share do not come without a cost. Of those 140, 10 percent, or 14, were from my home State of Texas.

Sadly, already in 2009, 48 peace officers have died in the line of duty. Once again, 10 percent from the State of Texas. This number includes two additional officers since I spoke on the House floor about peace officers 5 days ago. Those individuals, Sergeant Dulan Earl Murray, Jr. from the Nags Head Police Department in North Carolina, and Deputy Sheriff Tom Wilson from Warren County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi, died over the weekend while on duty.

In 1961, Congress created Peace Officers Memorial Day and designated it to be commemorated each year on May 15. Correspondingly, each year, the President issues a proclamation naming May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day.

I'm proud to sponsor this year's resolution to recognize Peace Officer Memorial Day, which passed the House unanimously in February of this year. Peace Officer Memorial Day takes place during National Police Week, which was held in Washington, D.C. last week.

Many of the families, friends, and colleagues of these fallen officers came to Washington last week to remember them as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and friends of their communities, guarding all of us.

They came together to celebrate in many ways. They participated in candlelight vigils and torch runs, they broke bread and shared stories, but more importantly, they honored and remembered the fallen. Today, we do as well.

Those officers have no doubt returned to serve their communities while quietly making all of our lives a little better.

We commemorate the 186 officers that died in 2008 and 2009, and all law enforcement officers that have died in the line of duty while representing every State, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, as well as Federal law enforcement and the military police.

Today, we thank them the best way that we can in the House of Representatives. I urge people across the country to similarly thank them for their service with a simple smile or a handshake or a thank you.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia and the gentleman from California for proposing this legislation. Also, we need to constantly remember that we here in the United States Capitol are protected daily by the Capitol Police, two of whom just a few years ago gave their lives protecting Members of Congress.

I would also like to introduce into the Record the names of the 19 police officers from the State of Texas who have been killed in 2008 and 2009.

In 2008, 140 peace officers were killed. Of these fallen

officers, 14 were from Texas:

Deputy Constable David Joubert, Harris County Constable's

Office--Precinct 7, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 13, 2008.

Police Officer Matthew B. Thebeau, Corpus Christi Police

Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 20, 2008.

Corporal Harry Thielepape, Harris County Constable's

Office--Precinct 6, TX, EOW: Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Senior Corporal Victor A. Lozada Sr., Dallas Police

Department, TX, EOW: Friday, February 22, 2008.

Trooper James Scott Burns, Texas Department of Public

Safety--Texas Highway Patrol, TX, EOW: Tuesday, April 29,

2008.

Police Officer Everett William Dennis, Carthage Police

Department, TX, EOW: Tuesday, June 3, 2008.

Sergeant Barbara Jean Shumate, Texas Department of Criminal

Justice, TX, EOW: Friday, June 13, 2008.

Police Officer Gary Gryder, Houston Police Department, TX,

EOW: Sunday, June 29, 2008.

Detective Tommy Keen, Harris County Sheriff's Department,

TX, EOW: Monday, September 15, 2008.

Game Warden George Harold Whatley Jr., Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department--Law Enforcement Division, TX, EOW:

Friday, October 10, 2008.

Sheriff Brent Lee, Trinity County Sheriff's Department, TX,

EOW: Thursday, November 27, 2008.

Police Officer Robert Davis, San Antonio Police Department,

TX, EOW: Monday, December 1, 2008.

Police Officer Timothy Abernethy, Houston Police

Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, December 7, 2008.

Police Officer Mark Simmons, Amarillo Police Department,

TX, EOW: Wednesday, December 17, 2008.

In 2009, 48 officers have died in the line of duty. 5 of

these officers were from Texas:

Senior Corporal Norman Smith, Dallas Police Department, TX,

EOW: Tuesday, January 6, 2009.

Detention Officer Cesar Arreola, El Paso County Sheriff's

Office, TX, EOW: Sunday, January 18, 2009.

Lieutenant Stuart J. Alexander, Corpus Christi Police

Department, TX, EOW: Wednesday, March 11, 2009.

Sergeant Randy White, Bridgeport Police Department, TX,

EOW: Thursday, April 2, 2009.

Deputy Sheriff D. Robert Harvey, Lubbock County Sheriff's

Department, TX, EOW: Sunday, April 26, 2009.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 426, ``Honoring police officers and law enforcement professionals during Police Week''. I would like to thank my colleague Representative Jerry McNerney, as well as the co-sponsors, for introducing this resolution.

I stand in support of this important resolution, because police officers of every rank and from every walk of life are working every day to keep communities across our nation safe. These hard working men and women perform a variety of duties to pursue justice and maintain public safety, and selflessly put their lives on the line to keep their neighbors and countrymen safe.

These Americans are reminded of these threats all too often--in just the last decade, hundreds of police officers were killed in the line of duty, and in just the first four months of 2009 more than 40 officers around the country have made the ultimate sacrifice. And as if that weren't bad enough, police officers and law enforcement personnel have been not been immune to the collapse of our economy, and have been adversely affected by the current economic situation.

In my home city of Houston, nearly 70 officers of the law have been killed in the line of duty, and 11 police officers have fallen in the past decade alone.

The most recent tragedy came less than six months ago, whenPolice Officer Timothy Scott Abernethy was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspect who fled following a traffic stop. Officer Abernethy had lost sight of the man as he chased him around a building in an apartment complex. After going around the corner the man hid behind a gate and then shot the officer in the head as he ran by. Tim was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds a short time later. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, and siblings.

Before him, there was Police Officer Gary Allen Gryder. He was struck and killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic at a construction site on the Katy Freeway. The drunk driver drove through a barricade and struck Officer Gryder and another officer without braking. The vehicle continued until striking a brick wall. Gryder is survived by his wife, son, step-daughter, two grandchildren, parents, and two sisters.

And before either of them, there was Officer Rodney Joseph Johnson. Officer Johnson had stopped a large white pickup truck occupied by a man and woman on Randolph at Braniff, just south of Hobby Airport, at about 5:30 p.m. He placed the male driver--who, it would turn out, was in the country illegally--under arrest after he was unable to produce a drivers license. After handcuffing the male, he placed

him in the backseat of the patrol car and then returned to the driver's seat. The subject in the backseat was able to move his hands to his front, retrieve a concealed handgun, and then shot Officer Johnson in the back of the head four times.

Despite being fatally wounded, Officer Johnson was able to push an emergency button, alerting dispatch to the incident. When other officers arrived, the male was still handcuffed and sitting in the patrol car, and the weapon was recovered. Officer Johnson was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

For these reasons, and more, our country has found respect for these brave men and women throughout its history. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation declaring May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, and to designate the calendar week in which May 15 occurs as Police Week.

And it is this tradition that we continue today, as this body, the House of Representatives, honors police officers for their efforts to create safer and more secure communities, and who risk their lives daily to protect Americans.

I wholeheartedly agree with my colleagues that Police Week provides an opportunity to honor police officers and law enforcement personnel for their selfless acts of bravery, and that police officers and law enforcement personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice should be remembered and honored.

So let there be no doubt that the House of Representatives expresses its strong support for the Nation's police officers and law enforcement personnel.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 426) honoring police officers and law enforcement professionals during Police Week.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution honors police officers and law enforcement professionals during Police Week. In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed the week in which May 15 occurs to be Police Week. For over 40 years, the week of May 15 has continued to be the time to honor men and women in our Nation's law enforcement agencies, who protect our neighborhoods, our homes, and our loved ones.

The men and women who dedicate their careers to our safety do so at the expense of spending long hours away from their own families, putting themselves at great risk--and, in too many instances, making the ultimate sacrifice.

In fact, we have lost over 20,000 officers in the line of duty over the course of our history. Since January 1 of this year, we've lost 48 officers--five since the beginning of this month alone. Yet regardless of the continuing danger, day after day, and year after year, these dedicated professionals continue to make the sacrifices for their communities, without asking for thanks or praise.

And so the law enforcement professionals and police officers who toil in our communities across the Nation deserve our unwavering support and our thankful recognition.

I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney) for introducing this resolution and for giving the House of Representatives the opportunity to show respect and admiration for our law enforcement professionals. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman who, prior to coming to Congress, was a law enforcement professional himself, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of this important resolution, the gentleman from California (Mr. McNerney).

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas, the gentleman from California and the gentleman from Michigan for their strong support of this resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I stand today in support of House Resolution 426, a resolution offered by our friend, Mr. McNerney from California. This resolution is to recognize Police Week and all the law enforcement officers across the country that keep us and our communities safe.

As a former city police officer and as a Michigan State police trooper, law enforcement has always been a legislative priority for me. When I was elected to Congress 17 years ago, I was surprised to learn that there was no formal organization within Congress to advocate on behalf of law enforcement. So I founded the Law Enforcement Caucus with the help of then-Democratic caucus chairman Steny Hoyer.

Today, the Law Enforcement Caucus has 110 members and we hold regular briefings throughout the year. I'm proud to be cochair of the caucus, along with my friend Dave Reichert, the gentleman from the State of Washington.

As you know, this is a time of great change for the law enforcement community. During an economic downturn, there's an increase in crime and in the drug trade. Many in Washington have paid a lot of attention to the integral role that law enforcement plays in protecting our country. But the Federal Government has to do more than talk about the problem. We must also provide resources, training, and equipment to ensure that it is there for local law enforcement.

We made a strong commitment to this goal by providing $3 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for law enforcement programs. This effort must continue as we consider fiscal year 2010 appropriation bills. After all, our law enforcement officers are on the front lines every day, keeping us and our communities safe.

I urge my colleagues to not only support this resolution honoring Police Week, but support law enforcement programs by fully funding the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, the Community Oriented Policing Services grants, and many Federal programs that have gone underfunded when the need is ever growing.

I rise in proud support of H. Res. 426. I thank the gentleman from Texas for his words and support. We're basically here to honor police officers and law enforcement professionals.

I introduced this resolution last Tuesday in recognition of National Police Week. H. Res. 426 commends police officers and law enforcement professionals for the hard and often dangerous work they perform to keep us safe.

Almost 47 years ago, in October of 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a resolution designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it occurs as Police Week. Since then, police officers have held events during Police Week honoring their fallen brethren and officers who worked tirelessly to keep us safe.

May 15 just passed, but our law enforcement officials should be celebrated daily.

So far this year more than 40 officers from around the country have lost their lives in the line of duty. Four officers from California, including Sergeants Mark Dunakin of Tracy and Ervin Romans of Danville, both from my district, were killed earlier this year. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of these dedicated officers.

In honor of their memory and in thanks for the hard work and selfless dedication of our Nation's police officers and law enforcement professionals, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. These brave men and women deserve our respect and gratitude. I further encourage my colleagues to support our law enforcement professionals not just during Police Week but every day of the year.