Calling upon local communities to support organizations that provide resources and aid Gold Shield Families in their time of need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Onder) for his leadership, and I also thank my good friend and colleague Congressman Rob Bresnahan for his participation and great work and support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, this is National Police Week, and I rise in support of my legislation, H. Res. 364, the Gold Shield families resolution. Out of all of the priorities that we face in this Chamber, Mr. Speaker, none is more fundamental than ensuring public safety and protecting human life. It is the foundation for everything else--our economy, our freedoms, and our way of life--so the people on the front lines of that effort are our first responders.

Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, correctional officers, and dispatchers are the tip of the proverbial spear. They put themselves in danger, often on a regular basis, in order to keep the rest of us safe. They are the thin blue line, the thin gold line, and the thin red line that holds society together. They serve not for accolades but out of duty and honor.

Mr. Speaker, I know this personally. My father was a police officer and a detective, while my grandfather also was a firefighter. He was the captain of his house.

I remember clearly the risks that my father took every day he walked out the door. I remember well what it meant to be a police family, and I know the courage it takes not just for the officer but for the family members who stand behind them.

When the worst happens, when a first responder is lost in the line of duty, it is the family who bears the burden of that sacrifice for the long term. They are the ones picking up the pieces, mourning their loved ones, and carrying their legacy forward.

The term ``Gold Shield families'' is modeled after the Gold Star families, which honors the families of fallen military servicemembers. Gold Shield families are those whose loved ones wore a different kind of uniform and who served in our communities rather than abroad but whose sacrifice was no less significant.

The resolution simply acknowledges that reality, Mr. Speaker. It affirms that these families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty deserve the respect and support of the communities that they served. Their sacrifices and their struggles will not be forgotten, and our local communities must play their part to support nonprofit organizations that serve Gold Shield families during their time of grief and hardship.

H. Res. 364 encourages Gold Shield families to turn on these trusted groups for connection, care, and healing as they navigate life after loss. This resolution was inspired by one such organization, Camp Freedom in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Their executive director, my good friend Matt Guedes, is in the Chamber with us tonight. He brought this idea forward, and I thank Matt very, very much for a great idea and for helping us see it through.

Mr. Speaker, Matt is a veteran and a passionate advocate for those who serve. He saw firsthand the need to give proper recognition to the families of fallen first responders, especially those who had once served our country in uniform and continued that service here at home.

Camp Freedom provides outdoor healing experiences for disabled veterans, first responders, and their families. Their mission is rooted in community, connection, and recovery. I thank Matt and all of his team for all that they do to support those who served our country.

To date, Camp Freedom has served more than 12,000 veterans', first responders', and servicemembers' families from across Pennsylvania and the country.

Mr. Speaker, I also recognize Bill Bachenberg, who founded Camp Freedom. His passion and vision have made Camp Freedom what it is today: a special place for many.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is only two pages long, but its message is powerful. It recognizes these families. It thanks them and affirms that their sacrifices are worthy of our continued support.

This resolution has strong bipartisan backing, and I thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have joined as cosponsors.

During National Police Week, let me say this to every police officer, firefighter, EMT, dispatcher, and emergency responder: I thank them for their service. They are the thin gold line that separates us from chaos. They are the reason that our Constitution is more than words on paper.

Mr. Speaker, to every Gold Shield family, their loved one's service mattered. The sacrifice of their loved one will not be forgotten, and neither will theirs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 364. Let's pass this resolution and give these families the recognition and community support that they have long deserved.

Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors were added to public bills and resolutions, as follows:

H.R. 116: Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 151: Ms. Van Duyne.

H.R. 255: Mr. Gill of Texas, Mr. Self, and Ms. Crockett.

H.R. 404: Mr. Wied.

H.R. 429: Mr. Suozzi.

H.R. 479: Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 556: Mr. Wied.

H.R. 574: Mr. Van Drew, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Mr. Stauber, and

Mr. Fitzpatrick.

H.R. 628: Ms. Davids of Kansas.

H.R. 659: Mr. Soto, Mrs. Ramirez, and Mr. Garcia of

California.

H.R. 740: Ms. Malliotakis and Mr. Kustoff.

H.R. 802: Ms. Bonamici.

H.R. 833: Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona, Mr. Moran, Mr. Barr, and

Mr. Burlison.

H.R. 842: Mr. Kiley of California and Ms. Stansbury.

H.R. 909: Mr. Subramanyam and Ms. Schakowsky.

H.R. 914: Ms. McDonald Rivet.

H.R. 942: Mr. Bresnahan and Ms. Davids of Kansas.

H.R. 956: Mr. Biggs of Arizona.

H.R. 1004: Ms. Elfreth and Ms. Kelly of Illinois.

H.R. 1024: Mr. Moran.

H.R. 1041: Mr. Ezell, Mr. Hurd of Colorado, Mr. Cline, and

Ms. De La Cruz.

H.R. 1086: Mrs. Miller-Meeks.

H.R. 1106: Mr. Himes.

H.R. 1151: Mr. Rose.

H.R. 1181: Ms. Fedorchak.

H.R. 1232: Mr. James and Mr. Pfluger.

H.R. 1241: Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 1262: Mrs. Hinson and Mr. Garamendi.

H.R. 1286: Mrs. Fischbach.

H.R. 1329: Mr. Burchett and Mr. McCaul.

H.R. 1330: Mr. Suozzi.

H.R. 1357: Mr. Morelle.

H.R. 1378: Mr. Rogers of Kentucky and Mr. Garbarino.

H.R. 1400: Ms. Perez.

H.R. 1415: Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Weber of Texas.

H.R. 1505: Mr. Min.

H.R. 1509: Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Lee of Florida,

and Mr. Fry.

H.R. 1521: Mr. Harder of California.

H.R. 1539: Mr. Bilirakis.

H.R. 1636: Mr. Thompson of Mississippi.

H.R. 1659: Ms. Budzinski.

H.R. 1676: Mr. Haridopolos.

H.R. 1682: Mr. James.

H.R. 1695: Mr. Rutherford.

H.R. 1709: Mr. Nunn of Iowa.

H.R. 1775: Ms. Stansbury.

H.R. 1822: Mr. Owens.

H.R. 1868: Ms. Williams of Georgia.

H.R. 1882: Mr. Gill of Texas.

H.R. 1909: Mr. Wittman.

H.R. 1918: Ms. McBride.

H.R. 2028: Ms. Van Duyne and Ms. McBride.

H.R. 2033: Ms. Malliotakis.

H.R. 2109: Mr. Costa.

H.R. 2126: Mr. Brecheen and Mr. James.

H.R. 2145: Ms. Davids of Kansas.

H.R. 2160: Mr. Schmidt.

H.R. 2189: Mr. Fry.

H.R. 2199: Ms. McBride.

H.R. 2230: Ms. Malliotakis.

H.R. 2253: Mr. Frost.

H.R. 2290: Mr. Garamendi.

H.R. 2294: Ms. McBride.

H.R. 2311: Mr. Jackson of Illinois.

H.R. 2315: Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 2355: Mr. Mann.

H.R. 2395: Ms. Hageman.

H.R. 2514: Ms. Budzinski.

H.R. 2531: Mr. Larson of Connecticut and Ms. Stansbury.

H.R. 2536: Mr. Riley of New York.

H.R. 2538: Ms. Stansbury and Mr. Graves.

H.R. 2550: Mr. Clyburn.

H.R. 2599: Mr. Issa.

H.R. 2623: Mr. Wied.

H.R. 2687: Ms. Pelosi.

H.R. 2705: Mr. Collins and Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 2729: Mr. Stauber, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Radewagen, and Mr.

Peters.

H.R. 2736: Mrs. Sykes.

H.R. 2753: Ms. Chu, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Goodlander,

Mr. Meeks, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Dexter, and Mr.

Pocan.

H.R. 2761: Mr. Goldman of New York.

H.R. 2767: Ms. Norton.

H.R. 2781: Mr. Bishop.

H.R. 2788: Mr. Cohen.

H.R. 2841: Ms. Boebert.

H.R. 2904: Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick.

H.R. 2941: Mr. Krishnamoorthi.

H.R. 2969: Mr. Cline.

H.R. 2979: Mr. Fitzpatrick.

H.R. 3033: Mr. Pfluger.

H.R. 3036: Mr. Takano.

H.R. 3043: Mr. McGuire.

H.R. 3048: Mr. Fitzpatrick.

H.R. 3098: Mr. Correa.

H.R. 3107: Mr. Bishop.

H.R. 3112: Ms. Perez, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick,

and Mr. Sherman.

H.R. 3128: Ms. Sewell.

H.R. 3131: Mr. Rogers of Kentucky.

H.R. 3142: Mr. Bacon.

H.R. 3177: Mr. Steube.

H.R. 3179: Ms. Van Duyne and Mr. Self.

H.R. 3195: Mr. Rogers of Alabama.

H.R. 3199: Ms. Omar, Ms. Meng, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania,

Mr. Mullin, and Mr. Sherman.

H.R. 3204: Mr. Neguse.

H.J. Res. 38: Mr. Steube.

H. Res. 155: Ms. Pingree.

H. Res. 166: Ms. Norton.

H. Res. 267: Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Garcia of

California, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. McClellan, Mr.

Bacon, Mr. Torres of New York, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Ansari, Ms.

Tlaib, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Titus, Mr.

Soto, and Mr. Fields.

H. Res. 364: Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Ms. Malliotakis,

Mr. Fallon, and Mr. Kustoff.

H. Res. 380: Mr. Pocan, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. McCollum, and Ms.

Tokuda.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 364, which calls on local communities to support organizations that provide resources and assistance to the Gold Shield families.

Gold Shield families suffer tremendous, heartbreaking loss when their loved ones--police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and corrections officers--are killed while serving their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 364 because Gold Shield families deserve recognition and need assistance. I am speaking of families such as those of Captain Basil Pizzuto of Saddle Brook and Sergeant Robert Miller of Clifton, both from the State of New Jersey.

Yet, I must also highlight that the Department of Justice recently terminated 365 competitive grants totaling $811 million. This is funding that Congress provided to the Justice Department to help prosecutors, police, and sheriffs' departments protect and enhance public safety.

While the Trump administration and my friends across the aisle call for law and order and public safety, the Department of Justice is terminating funding for congressionally authorized grant programs that keep our communities safe.

Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution before us today. I also urge my colleagues to express their opposition to the elimination of congressionally authorized public safety grant programs at the Department of Justice.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support the resolution before us today, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud support of H. Res. 364, recognizing the Gold Shield families resolution. I thank my colleague, Congressman Meuser, for his leadership in reintroducing this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution honors the families of fallen first responders, those who paid the ultimate price while protecting and serving our communities.

These families, often referred to as the Gold Shield families, carry an unthinkable burden of loss. It is our duty not just as lawmakers but as fellow citizens to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten and see that their families are taken care of after they are gone.

An astounding example of this mission and inspiration for the resolution is right in my congressional district. Camp Freedom in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, provides meaningful outdoor adventures that promote healing for disabled veterans, first responders, and their families, including the families of the fallen.

By passing H. Res. 364, we send a clear message that the sacrifices of these families do not go unnoticed. We acknowledge that behind every fallen officer, firefighter, or EMT is a family--spouse, children, and parents--who bear the weight of that loss every day, yet continue to honor their loved one's legacy through quiet strength and enduring service to their communities.

This resolution sends a clear message: We recognize them. We honor their sacrifice, and we stand with them.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing H. Res. 364, making it the first step in broader efforts to support Gold Shield families through both our words and our actions.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 364) calling upon local communities to support organizations that provide resources and aid Gold Shield Families in their time of need.

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 into the Record on H. Res. 364.

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

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 364 calls on local communities to support organizations that provide resources and aid to Gold Shield families in their time of need. This is a commonsense resolution that recognizes the families of fallen servants of public safety as revered Gold Shield families.

These Gold Shield families deserve support from their communities in their time of need. This resolution honors the ultimate sacrifice that their loved ones made in the line of duty.

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser) for his leadership on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Bresnahan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser), the sponsor of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, H. Res. 364 is a commonsense resolution that honors the sacrifices of our brave public servants and helps to ensure the welfare of their families.

I urge support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.