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 thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Taylor) and also my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Stanton). I am extremely honored and humbled to once again introduce this resolution alongside the Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee ranking member, Representative Stanton, from Arizona.

This year marks the 45th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial event, which honors our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. According to the Fraternal Order of Police, over the past 5 years, more than 2,000 police officers have been shot in the line of duty.

In 2025, there were 347 shot in the line of duty, 45 of whom were killed. It is completely unacceptable.

Tragically, three of those deaths were my constituents, my bosses. On September 17, last year, a gunman ambushed police officers who were serving an arrest warrant. During the attack, three police officers were killed and two more were wounded. The officers who died in the line of duty were Detective Sergeant Cody Michael Becker, Detective Isaiah D. Emenheiser, and Detective Mark Edward Baker. All three officers were longtime veterans of the Northern York County Regional Police Department.

Mr. Speaker, this memorial service is for them and those like them and all the officers that will come to attend and think about their fallen comrades. These are the people in our community who run to the danger, who run to the sound of gunfire. These are the people who get up in the middle of the night not knowing whether they are coming home. They do the shift work. They are underpaid and under-respected now in our society, even among some of their very own leaders, their own elected leaders. That is why this memorial service this year is more important than ever.

It is my sincere hope that this memorial service will bring some level of comfort to the families of the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our safety and for the safety of their community.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues all to support this resolution. I thank Representative Stanton from Arizona and Representative Taylor from Ohio.

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