Authorizing the Use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition
Floor Speech
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Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 9) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 9
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That SECTION 1. USE OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL SERVICE.
(a) In General.--The National Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the 44th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service (in this resolution referred to as the ``Memorial Service''), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to honor the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during 2024.
(b) Date of Memorial Service.--The Memorial Service shall be held on May 15, 2025, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate, with preparation for the event to begin on May 9, 2025, and takedown completed on May 16, 2025. SEC. 2. USE OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR NATIONAL HONOR GUARD AND PIPE BAND EXHIBITION.
(a) In General.--The National Fraternal Order of Police and its auxiliary shall be permitted to sponsor a public event, the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition (in this resolution referred to as the ``Exhibition''), on the Capitol Grounds, in order to allow law enforcement representatives to exhibit their ability to demonstrate Honor Guard programs and provide for a bagpipe exhibition.
(b) Date of Exhibition.--The Exhibition shall be held on May 14, 2025, or on such other date as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate jointly designate. SEC. 3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
(a) In General.--Under conditions to be prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board, the event shall be--
(1) free of admission charge and open to the public; and
(2) arranged not to interfere with the needs of Congress.
(b) Expenses and Liabilities.--The sponsors of the Memorial Service and Exhibition shall assume full responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to all activities associated with the events. SEC. 4. EVENT PREPARATIONS. Subject to the approval of the Architect of the Capitol, the sponsors referred to in section 3(b) are authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds such stage, sound amplification devices, and other related structures and equipment, as may be required for the Memorial Service and Exhibition. SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS. The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40, United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements, displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, in connection with the events.
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Mr. PERRY. Con. Res. 9.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have introduced this bipartisan resolution along with the Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee Ranking Member Greg Stanton of Arizona.
This resolution authorizes the use of these Capitol Grounds for the 44th Annual Peace Officers' Memorial event to honor the law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2024.
According to the Fraternal Order of Police, last year, there were 342 on-duty officers who were shot, 50 of whom were killed.
In February of this year, tragedy occurred in the district I am honored to represent when multiple police officers were shot while in the line of duty. One, Officer Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department, made the ultimate sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, he was only 30 years old.
Police officers across the country put their lives on the line every single day to keep us safe. Every day that they go out, they put their uniforms on and leave their families, and they don't know what they are going to run into. Every day can be a boring day where nothing happens. They can go through a whole career that way, but they never know and their families never know. Every single day, they are prepared. They are ready to give everything as a sacrifice to their communities to make sure that safety is preserved.
That is why I and my friend, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton), are extremely honored to once again be able to sponsor this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, like my friend, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton), implied, these are heartbreaking, heart-wrenching stories about real people. Oftentimes, in our country, people look for heroes. They look to sporting fields. They look to pop culture for their heroes, but their heroes walk right among them, right in their own communities every single day, again, being willing when they put on that uniform, when they sign up, to say, ``I will give all for my community,'' running to the sound of the gun, running to the danger, unlike most other people whose senses, whose sensibilities, tell them to go the other way.
This is the smallest thing we can do to acknowledge the enormous sacrifice that law enforcement makes every single day in our community, to acknowledge that sacrifice and to honor those heroes who are near and far.
In closing, I reiterate my support for H. Con. Res. 9, which will honor the fallen men and women serving our Nation as law enforcement officers.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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