Political Quotes

“8 years--that is how long it has been since two Capitol police officers gave their lives in the line of duty. On July 24, 1998, a lone gunman entered this building, the Nation's Capitol. He was wearing a green fedora with extra bullets in his pocket when he opened fire. He shot two officers and a tourist before falling himself. It is a day I will never forget. It is a day when I was swiftly driven back to my days in emergency medicine, emergency surgery, in the reality that even your best efforts cannot always save a life--because, despite our best efforts, we couldn't save Special Agent John Gibson or Officer Jacob J. Chestnut. It is a humbling experience, realizing the debt of gratitude we owe these two fallen heroes for their sacrifice and recognizing it can never be fully repaid. But we can honor their sacrifice by remembering, by offering solemn tribute to their courage, and by protecting the memory of these heroes. We must ensure that Special Agent Gibson and Officer Chestnut did not die in vain, and that the America they died protecting is the America we preserve today and in the future. I hope, I pray we are never faced with such tragedy again. Thus, at 3:40 this afternoon, I hope this body will join me in a moment of silence, a moment to reflect on the courageous sacrifice of Special Agent Gibson and Officer Chestnut for, although 8 years have passed, their memory and their sacrifice is alive in these halls today. I yield the floor.…”