Awarding Four Congressional Gold Medals to United States Capitol Police and Those Who Protected the U.S. Capitol on January 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3325) to award four congressional gold medals to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3325

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Every day, the United States Capitol Police (``Capitol Police'') protects the U.S. Capitol, Members of Congress, congressional staff and institutional staff, journalists, and the visiting public.

(2) On January 6, 2021, a mob of insurrectionists forced its way into the U.S. Capitol building and congressional office buildings and engaged in acts of vandalism, looting, and violently attacked Capitol Police officers.

(3) The sacrifice of heroes including Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Smith, and those who sustained injuries, and the courage of Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, exemplify the patriotism and the commitment of Capitol Police officers, and those of other law enforcement agencies, to risk their lives in service of our country.

(4) Up to seven Americans died following this violent attack, and more than 140 law enforcement officers suffered physical injuries, including 15 officers who were hospitalized.

(5) The desecration of the U.S. Capitol, which is the temple of our American Democracy, and the violence targeting Congress are horrors that will forever stain our Nation's history.

(6) On April 2, 2021 Officer William ``Billy'' Evans was killed while protecting the North Barricade of the Capitol. Officer Evans was a distinguished member of the First Responders Unit and an eighteen-year veteran of the United States Capitol Police. Also injured in that assault was Officer Kenneth Shaver. Officer Shaver is a fifteen-year veteran of the United States Capitol Police. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS.

(a) Presentation Authorization.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of four gold medals of appropriate design to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.

(c) Disposition of Medals.--Following the award of the gold medals under subsection (a):

(1) USCP headquarters.--One gold medal shall be given to the United States Capitol Police, so that the medal may be displayed at the headquarters of the United States Capitol Police and made available for research, as appropriate.

(2) DC metropolitan police department headquarters.--One gold medal shall be given to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, so that the medal may be displayed at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Department and made available for research, as appropriate.

(3) Smithsonian institution.--

(A) In general.--One gold medal shall be given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for display as appropriate and available for research.

(B) Plaque.--In displaying the gold medal given under subparagraph (A), the Smithsonian Institution shall display the medal with a plaque that lists all of the law enforcement agencies that participated in protecting the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

(C) Sense of the congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal given under subparagraph (A) available for display elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated with the protection of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

(4) United states capitol.--

(A) In general.--One gold medal shall be given to the Architect of the Capitol, for display in a prominent location in the United States Capitol as appropriate and available for research.

(B) Plaque.--In displaying the gold medal given under subparagraph (A), the Architect of the Capitol shall display the medal with a plaque that lists all of the law enforcement agencies that participated in protecting the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Mint should expedite production of the gold medals and duplicate medals under this Act, so that the sacrifices of fallen officers and their families, and the contributions of other law enforcement agencies who answered the call of duty on January 6, 2021, can be recognized and honored in a timely manner. SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for the purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
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Ms. WATERS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, every day the men and women of the United States Capitol Police protect the U.S. Capitol. They protect us, they protect our staff, they protect journalists and other visitors who come into the people's House.

In March of this year, the House passed H.R. 1085 to award three Congressional Gold Medals honoring the courage, patriotism, and commitment to service exemplified by the men and women of the Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police, and other law enforcement agencies who risked their lives and sustained injuries as they sought to protect those trapped in the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

This bill builds upon H.R. 1085 to include minting of a fourth Congressional Gold Medal to be displayed by the Architect of the Capitol so that we may continue to honor those officers who sustained injuries in the line of duty and the sacrifices of heroes, including Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood and Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Smith. We also honor Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman; whose quick thinking and selfless action undoubtedly saved the lives of many.

Additionally, this bill honors the memory of Capitol Police Officer William ``Billy'' Evans, who was killed while protecting the north barricade of the Capitol against a vehicular assault on April 2, 2021. It also honors the bravery displayed by Capitol Police Officer Kenneth Shaver, who was also injured in that assault.

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Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) the Speaker, who is also the sponsor of this legislation.

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Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

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Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

In closing, I commend Speaker Pelosi for bringing forward this legislation.

Every day, the brave men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police put their lives on the line in service to our Nation.

On January 6, we all witnessed this bravery firsthand as they fought against those who would seek to end this democracy. It is true that the leadership and decisive action on that day saved many lives, including my own. We honor their sacrifices on that day, and every day we thank them for their service.

Madam Speaker and Members, I cannot help but say at this time where this bill is being discussed on the floor of the House of Representatives, I saw Capitol Police in hand-to-hand combat with these insurrectionists. I saw them being attacked by QAnon, by the proud boys, by the oath keepers, by the KKK, by white supremacists. I thought I would never see such in my lifetime.

I watched Capitol Police being attacked with the American flag jabbed into their bodies. I never thought those who considered themselves conservative would attack uniformed police officers of the Capitol or any place, but we saw it.

So we can't say enough about these Capitol Police, whose lives were endangered and some who lost their lives and some who are still trying to recuperate from the injuries that they received.

I am absolutely saddened by the fact that too many do not want to know what really happened that day, who oppose investigation, oppose a commission to delve into exactly what took place, who was responsible, who organized it, who paid for it, et cetera.

I could go on all day and night talking about that experience, as many Members of Congress perhaps would like to do, but I know that, despite the fact, there is opposition to delving into what happened. We are going to find out what happened. We are going to find out who supported all of the resources that were put together to bring people here in buses and put them on airplanes to come and attack us in the Capitol of the United States of America.

So I urge all Members to honor the sacrifices and courage displayed by the members of the Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police, and other law enforcement agencies by voting ``yes'' on H.R. 3325.

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

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Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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