Vernon Ehlers: “I rise in support of H.R. 3690, the U.S. Capitol Police and Library of Congress Police Merger Implementation Act of…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3690, the U.S. Capitol Police and Library of Congress Police Merger Implementation Act of 2007, which will provide for the merger between the Library of Congress Police and the United States Capitol Police. While bringing together two law enforcement bodies may seem like an easy proposition, whenever you have two entities with existing cultures, established protocols, and disparate missions, it is important to conduct a merger of those two groups thoughtfully and with due diligence. This, we have attempted to do. While the Library of Congress Police and the U.S. Capitol Police both serve and protect the Congress and its assets, they do so in very different capacities. The U.S. Capitol Police are primarily charged with securing the Capitol buildings, Members of Congress, staff and visitors and providing an emergency planning and response function in the event of a terrorist attack or other unplanned activity. Its core mission is too important to set aside even in the interest of completing this merger.”