José E. Serrano: “I rise both with grief and with pride in support of House Concurrent Resolution 311. Like all of my colleagues and…”

“I rise both with grief and with pride in support of House Concurrent Resolution 311. Like all of my colleagues and, indeed, like all Americans, I am grieving over the tragic, violent deaths on Friday of two valiant U.S. Capitol Police Officers, Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut and Detective John Michael Gibson. And I am proud of these two heroes, members of our Capitol Hill family, who made the paramount sacrifice by giving their lives to protect the Members, staff, and guests of this Congress. Mr. Speaker, J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson were special men every day. They loved their families and their jobs. They were courteous and friendly, generous and professional. On Friday, they did what they had to do, what they were trained to do, and became heroes. Their deaths leave tremendous holes in the fabric of our lives. These crimes were particularly alarming because they took place inside the Capitol building, the People's House, which is and must always remain open to the public, and where people expect to be safe. Witness after witness, tourist after tourist told the press that they had never imagined they would hear gunfire here. But, Mr. Speaker, the heroism of J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson demonstrate that the Capitol is safe. It may not be challenged very often, but on this terrible Friday the security system worked.”