Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 18) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 18.

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

H. Con. Res. 18 would authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service on May 15, 2013. I am pleased to be the sponsor of this important resolution, along with the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

In 1962, May 15 was designated by President Kennedy as Peace Officers' Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as Police Week. The memorial service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of just 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Today, National Police Week draws tens of thousands of law enforcement officers and their supporters from around the world who travel to the Nation's capital to participate in events that honor our fallen officers. The National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, which is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, is one in a series of events which includes the candlelight vigil and seminars.

Tragically, over 126 Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty last year. These are brave men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day.

Among the fallen officers to be honored include five that served in my home State of Pennsylvania: Officer Bradley Michael Fox, who was from Plymouth Township Police Department, which is actually part of my district, Pennsylvania's Eleventh; Trooper First Class Blake Coble, Pennsylvania State Police; Patrolman Avery Freeman, Chester Police Department; Officer Brian J. Lorenzo, Philadelphia Police Department; and Officer Moses Walker, Jr., Philadelphia Police Department.

These officers, along with more than 100 others who lost their lives in 2012, will be remembered at this service.

These officers made the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country and our communities.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, law enforcement all over the country every day go to work to protect us, protect our neighborhoods, our communities, always knowing that they may not return home that night. I think this is very fitting that we honor the men and women who keep this country and our communities safe.

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

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

Congratulations, Congressman Barletta, for sponsoring this resolution enabling this important memorial service to go forward. You're to be commended for it, and I'm honored to be able to stand here on behalf of the minority and offer our support for the resolution.

H. Con. Res. 18, as the gentleman just said, authorizes use of the Capitol Grounds for the 32nd Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service on May 15 on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. This is a solemn and respectful public event honoring local and Federal enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in 2012.

One of those brave public servants was Cold Spring, Minnesota, Police Officer Thomas ``Tommy'' Decker, who was shot and killed while checking on the welfare of a citizen in an apartment in Cold Spring, Minnesota, on November 29, 2012. Officer Tom Decker was a 6-year veteran and a father of four. He was a 2002 graduate of Alexandria Technical College in Minnesota, where he received an associate in arts degree in law enforcement.

Officer Decker worked in the city of Isle, the city of Watkins, and the city of Kimball, all in Minnesota, before joining the Cold Spring Police Department full time in March of 2006.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Officer Decker was one of 129 brave men and women killed in the line of duty last year. Of those, traffic-related incidents led to the deaths of 50 officers, while 49 died from firearm-related causes. In all, more than 19,000 law enforcement officers have given the ultimate sacrifice while on duty since the first law enforcement death was recorded in 1791.

The National Peace Officers' Memorial Service is a fitting tribute to the 900,000 current law enforcement officers--and all Federal, State, and local police officers--who do the often-dangerous and always necessary work of protecting our families, our homes, and our workplaces. We honor these officers and their families on Capitol Grounds for the sacrifices they have made to maintain the peace in communities all across America.

Consistent with all Capitol Hill events, the memorial service will be free and open to the public. I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this tribute to our fallen law enforcement officers.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 77 on H. Con. Res. 18, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 78 on H. Con. Res. 19, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 79 on moving the previous question for H. Res. 122, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On rollcall No. 80 on H. Res. 122, I am not recorded because I was absent due to a death in the family. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on Monday, March 18, 2013 so I missed rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On rollcall vote No. 76 regarding the Journal vote, ``yes,'' on rollcall vote No. 77 regarding the ``Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service'' (H. Con. Res. 18), and on rollcall vote No. 78 regarding the ``Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby'' (H. Con. Res. 19), ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, today, March 18th, I missed three rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: Rollcall vote 76-- ``yea''--Journal Vote; rollcall vote 77--``yea''--H. Con. Res. 18-- Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officer' Memorial Service; rollcall vote 78--``yea''--H. Con. Res. 19-- Authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.