On the recordFebruary 4, 2016
I rise today to honor a fellow Delawarean, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Vernon Alston, who passed away unexpectedly last month at the much too young age of 44. Officer Alston was a fixture in the House of Representatives, spending nearly 20 years on the Hill with the Capitol Police. As one of his colleagues, Officer Scott McBane, noted, Vernon was a ``gentle giant.'' His wife Nicole describes him as ``a very genuine man'' who had a deep and genuine love for people. While I didn't have the privilege of knowing Officer Alston personally, we shared at least two commitments: to be in Washington each morning to go to work and to be back home in Delaware to see our kids each night. For years, Vernon's shift started at 5 a.m., meaning he would be beginning his 90-minute commute from Magnolia, DE, at a time when few, if any, of the people he would soon be protecting would even be awake. For those who knew him, Vernon's willingness to drive 3 hours a day just to be home with his family every night wasn't the only reflection of his commitment to service and his family. In fact, Vernon's entire career is a testament to his passion for helping others. While still a student at Howard University, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve and served as an Army reservist until 1994. After graduating from college in 1995, Vernon joined the DC Army National Guard and served as a member of the Guard for another decade. In 1996, Vernon joined the U.S.…
