David Reichert

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the City North Bend, Washington, for reaching its centennial year in 2009. North Bend, located in the north end of the Eighth District of Washington State, is beautifully situated near the entrance of the Cascade Mountains with majestic Mount Si providing a stunning backdrop. Residents and tourists of all ages enjoy the many outdoor activities this natural, rural setting has to offer, including skiing, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and swimming. The residents of North Bend are truly caring people who will continue to lead North Bend in protecting their unique rural setting while encouraging residential and business development. I commend Mayor Ken Hearing for his leadership of this town of 4,700. The Eighth District is a more vibrant area because of North Bend and I rise today to commend the citizens past and present on their success in reaching this milestone.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of a recent graduate of the Los Angeles police academy who excelled in every aspect of his training and will, no doubt, serve and protect the people of Los Angeles with respect, honor and commitment. Brandon Parks, 28, the son of my senior advisor Mariana Parks, and an Army veteran who served in Iraq, is now patrolling the streets of the Foothill District in northern Los Angeles. I'm confident a young, responsible and highly motivated young man such as Brandon is enjoying his first days and weeks on the force just as I did years ago for the King County Sheriff's Department. But today, Madam Speaker, I want to focus my remarks on the exceptional way Brandon conducted himself during his 24-week training at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Arriving to the academy every morning at 6:00 a.m., a typical day for Brandon and his fellow recruits consisted of running, writing, shooting, thinking, perceiving and everything else in between. No matter the amount of physical, mental and emotional fatigue Brandon may have felt, he graduated on June 19 with outstanding final marks: a 99.5 average in his report writing and academic testing, a 91 average in grueling physical training and a 97.6 average conducting his tactical scenarios. Because of his excellent scores, Brandon was honored at the graduation ceremony with the Academic Achievement award, Top Physical Conditioning award and the William H. Parker award for overall excellence. The `overall excellence' award named after Mr. Parker--a former police chief for the LAPD who served admirably in WWII--is especially befitting an Army veteran such as Brandon. Again, Madam Speaker, Brandon is the son of my senior advisor, Mariana Parks, and I know she is one of the proudest mothers in the world. I also know Brandon's grandparents on Whidbey Island, Washington, Joe and Jaynie Putnam, are extremely proud of Brandon and his accomplishments. Of course, this House owes Brandon a debt of gratitude for his service in Iraq and I am eager to follow his career serving as a dedicated law enforcement officer.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, Americans all agree, and even Members of this body, Members of Congress, agree on the broad major concepts of health care reform. We all agree that health care should be cost effective, easily accessed, high quality with choices, focused on the patient, and it should be for everyone. A government takeover, though, wouldn't be affordable. It will cost $1.6 trillion. Easy access? Ain't gonna happen. High quality? I don't think so. Customer service? You've got to be kidding. Doctors might say you need an x ray; but under the government-run plan, you may just get told you've been X'd.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of five high schools located in the Eighth District of Washington that for the third year in a row were named to Newsweek Magazine's ranking of the top 1,500 public high schools in the country in academics. In 2009, all five high schools earned ``top 100'' recognition--the most coveted honor in the magazine. The International School, Interlake High School, Newport High School, Sammamish High School, and Bellevue High School each earned the prestigious ``top 100'' recognition and two of the schools, Interlake High School and Sammamish High School, moved several places higher on the list than their positions last year. During my tenure in the House, I've remained an outspoken advocate for investing in public education and the need for welcoming and safe learning environments. The five schools singled out for recognition by Newsweek have clearly developed a wonderful and unique learning environment to help students reach their full academic potential. The selfless, hardworking teachers and administrators who serve in these schools deserve equal recognition for the time and energy they devote to educating our children; they deserve our admiration and gratitude for their efforts.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Centennial celebration of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties in my home state of Washington--the oldest and largest local homebuilders association belonging to the National Association of Home Builders. For one hundred years, the Master Builders have been committed to creating well-built homes and utilizing solid business practices to help in making the Pacific Northwest a wonderful place to live. Even as our country struggles through an economic downturn and many sectors of our economy, especially home builders, are feeling the negative effects of a reduced workload, the Masters Builders continue to work hard to better families, communities, and the environment. The Master Builders continue to place an emphasis on community projects such as building free access ramps for disabled homeowners and building and maintaining shelters for the homeless. The Master Builders work with community-centered organizations like Vision House in Renton, Washington, and the Mercer Slough Environment Center in Bellevue, Washington. The Master Builders are celebrating their Centennial by performing 100 community service projects in King and Snohomish counties throughout 2009--projects that guarantee improvement in communities where people work, live, or play. The Master Builders also formed Built Green, an environmentally- friendly, non-profit, residential building program to provide sustainable housing in the region and actively reach out to all levels of government to ensure our laws protect the environment and provide attractive and affordable communities. I am pleased to consider the Master Builders as partners in our efforts to protect our environment and build up our communities. I congratulate them on this milestone and wish them continued success in their current and future projects.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to offer this commonsense, bipartisan amendment with my colleague from Washington (Mr. Smith). Our amendment directs the Small Business Administration to prioritize giving grants used for outreach to disadvantaged small businesses to be given to similar organizations that can empathize and understand them. Outreach to underserved areas and disadvantaged small businesses is essential. I have found, in my district and in my State, that many small businesses are completely unaware of the resources available to them and often incur unnecessary costs trying to navigate a complex government system just to apply for assistance. Outreach and assistance can mean so much more when someone who overcame that same difficulty has an understanding of the needs of these disadvantaged small businesses and reaches out to them with a helping hand. For example, a wounded warrior may come home and start up a new business and go through all the processes, and I've heard many a frustrating story from those men and women who return home trying to get their lives back on track as they come back from serving our country. They really have a grasp as to what's been happening and how they achieved their goals, and so the intent of this legislation is so those people--wounded warriors, women, and those who represent minority-owned businesses--can reach out to those people and help them build their own business, create job opportunities for their families, and also create job opportunities for families across this country. We all know that small businesses really generate the jobs in this country. Ninety-four percent of the jobs in Washington State are provided by small businesses, so this piece of legislation, Mr. Chairman, is absolutely essential. I have a young wounded warrior working in my office who did two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan who fully understands what it's like to come back home and go through the process of receiving health care and finding a job here when he returned to his home. Zach is there to help those wounded warriors as they call in to the office, and he can help them because he understands because he has been there, done that. I would encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan amendment to help those people that we all respect and admire so greatly to find jobs and create businesses in their own communities. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to the rule, I send to the desk a modification of amendment No. 4.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves).

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I would just close by saying that I very much appreciate the support on this amendment from the other side of the aisle, my colleagues, especially the chairwoman and Mr. Smith for their support, and also for the support of Mr. Graves. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, just days after the 4th of July events that celebrate our freedom, it's ironic that Congress will begin consideration of a health care proposal that threatens the freedom to choose and keep the health care we want and we need. Health care is not about bureaucrat systems. It's about people. It's about patients. It's about life and death. Quality health care is the foundation for our children to grow and prosper and for our seniors to enjoy comfortable retirements. We can all agree that our health care system must be transformed, but a $1.6 trillion proposal that puts government bureaucrats between doctors and patients, raises health care costs for families, taxes our health care plans, and reduces choices is not the answer to ensure that our health care system remains focused on people.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996, the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. (1) $333,000 for the City of Buckley, WA for an emergency intertie booster station. Requesting Entity: City of Buckley, PO Box 1960, 933 Main Street, Buckley, WA 98321 Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Account: STAG Funding requested by: Rep. Dave Reichert The City of Buckley will construct an emergency intertie booster station to allow the City to use water from the City of Tacoma in an emergency. The City of Tacoma water system in this area operates with a hydraulic grade line of 810 feet. The City of Buckley water system operates with a hydraulic grade line of 882 feet. Therefore the booster station is required to overcome a static head of approximately 72 feet. The City's largest water source is the S. Prairie Creek surface water source. The City's water right for this source is 900 gpm. To allow the system to operate effectively with the S. Prairie Creek source out of service, the booster station will have a capacity of 900 gpm. The booster station will be constructed in right-of-way in a location close to existing City of Buckley and City of Tacoma water infrastructure. Finance Plan: City of Buckley, Budget Details: This request is for federal funding in the amount of $550,000 to construct an emergency water intertie and booster station between the City of Tacoma's transmission main and the City of Buckley's water system. As illustrated below in the engineering cost estimate, approximately, $121,000 is for administration & engineering; and $485,000 for construction. The City of Buckley is currently working on a major flood damaged repair to our primary transmission water main, but will be able to allocate $57,000 as a match towards this project.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2892, the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. 1) $750,000 for the North Bend Area Residential Flood Mitigation Requesting Entity: King County, WA Address: King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave, Rm 1200, Seattle, WA 98104 Agency: FEMA Account: Pre-disaster Mitigation Funding Requested by: Rep. Dave Reichert Deep and repetitive floods have struck parts of the North Bend area. The Shamrock Park neighborhood, for example, includes several repetitive loss properties as identified by the National Flood Insurance Program. The neighborhood has been repeatedly flooded at different times from different sources including the South Fork Snoqualmie, Ribary Creek, and Clough Creek. The flooding cannot be prevented unless all sources are addressed. A more reliable, cost- effective solution would be to make each home less susceptible to high water. Although a system of levees protects most homes in the North Bend area from damage during minor floods, the capacity of the levee system is limited. Flows in excess of 20-year highs overtop portions of the levee system and cause damage to neighboring properties. Raising and extending levees is cost-prohibitive, requires demolition of many homes, is incompatible with regulatory protection of floodway conveyance capacity, and fails to address all known flood hazards. Hazards are associated with the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and the South Fork Snoqualmie River, as well as several smaller tributary streams. Levees along these river channels cannot prevent flooding from other sources. The proposed project will protect public safety and private property by reducing flood hazards to residential areas of the City of North Bend. In addition to these benefits, the project will result in reduced flood insurance claims and reduced need for federal disaster assistance. The project will result in approximately 80 jobs. These jobs would be in the fields of real estate transactions and contracting jobs to demolish or elevate structures. This office conducted site visits to meet with representatives from King County to examine the need for this funding. North Bend Residential Flood Mitigation. The estimated total project cost is $5,800,000 in FY 2010, with an immediate need of $1,000,000 to sustain the project by elevating the first 10 homes in the highest risk area. The full project includes elevation of 50 homes, with costs allocated as follows: Unit Costs for Home Elevations (1): Estimated Construction Costs $100,000.00 Elevation Certificates $1,250 Elevation Cost Estimates $200.00 Geotechnical Analysis $315 Structural Design $3,200 Septic ``As Built'' $200 Health Dept. Review $300 Building Permits $3,385 Recording fees $100 Project Management $10,000

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, along with 136 of my colleagues, I was unable to return to the House floor in time for an unexpected recorded vote on a motion to rise late in the evening of June 16, 2009. Had I been present for the vote, I would have voted ``no'' so that the House would consider an amendment to assess the economic impact of the delay in enacting the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, I want to take a moment just to thank the gentleman for his kind words of support. The majority's support of a minority amendment is a pleasant change in the atmosphere over the last day or so, so we appreciate that. I yield back.

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Chairman, after listening to the discussion back and forth here for the last hour or two, I would hope that my amendment would not be quite so contentious. And it is my great hope that we can come together in agreement on the amendment that I'm about to offer. I am suggesting that we take $2.5 million from the Department of Commerce salaries and expenses account, which is totaling now $60 million and is receiving a $7 million increase. So to remove $2.5 million from a $7 million increase from a $60 million budget, to Support Teens through Education and Protection program, STEP, which helps high schools collaborate with domestic violence and sexual assault service providers, law enforcement, the courts and other organizations to improve school safety. This vital program was authorized by Congress under the VAWA Act, Violence Against Women Act, but was never funded. Our schools should be safe havens for our children to learn and grow. Unfortunately, violence in schools has left many kids afraid of the very places we send them to learn and grow. They increasingly find themselves becoming victims of dating violence, bullying, harassment, gang-related violence in the classrooms, in the hallways and in the restrooms. On the buses, in school yards, anywhere in the area of the school, this law would apply. When violence occurs in our schools, our children find themselves in difficult situations. They go to school, where they spend 6 to 8 hours a day with the very people that have perpetrated the crime against them, placing them in very dangerous situations. For example, a 16-year-old girl breaks up with her 16-year-old boyfriend in Texas at a high school, and during the day she goes to her teacher and she says, I'm afraid. This boyfriend of mine is becoming more and more violent and I'm afraid for my safety. Can you help me? Two hours later, this young lady is found dead in the hallways of her own school. In 2007, at a high school in Seattle, a young girl was assaulted, was dragged into the boys' restroom and was assaulted even further. The girl pushed herself away from the suspect and ran away and told the teachers. She reported the incident to the teachers. She told the principal of the school. The school did nothing. For 3 weeks, this young lady had to go back to school and had to face these three individuals, these three individuals who assaulted her. They did nothing. They didn't report it to the police. They didn't tell anybody. Our schools need more effective procedures to address these problems when they occur amongst students. Teachers, coaches and counselors have important roles to play in the lives of our children, as we all know, and they can be key to curbing violence among our youth. Studies show that 25 percent of the teens say they would confide in teachers or in school counselors if they became involved in abusive relationships or were assaulted. Unfortunately, school personnel are not currently trained or equipped with the knowledge or with the resources needed to address these issues effectively in school. By supporting my amendment, we can help schools address bullying, harassment and sexual violence involving teen victims. The STEP program can train school personnel; it can provide support services for students who are experiencing abuse; it can help schools foster appropriate and safe responses to the affected students. The National Education Association, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Break the Cycle, the National Center for Victims of Crime, and the Family Violence Prevention Fund have endorsed this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to help create a safe learning environment for our children across this country. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, halfway across the world today people are rioting in the streets. Violence, gunshots and even death have overtaken Iran's streets as its citizens protest the results of their recent election. Iran's security affects the entire Middle East, and the riots there show how fragile their government really is. Recently, Iran successfully tested a long-range missile, and their intentions with their nuclear program are still unknown. The United States must utilize every diplomatic, economic, and political tool at our disposal, including the further use of sanctions. Ultimately, our goal is peace for Iran, peace now and in the future. That's why I encourage Members of this body to join me in the support of the Iran Petroleum Sanctions Act. This legislation would use sanctions on refined petroleum to Iran in order to convince the government to give up its nuclear ambitions. Our desire, all of us across the world, is to see a secure and peaceful future for the people of Iran, the greater Middle East and the world, but this cannot happen without some changes in Iran's policies, regardless of the outcome of their election.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2487, the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. (1) $500,000 for the Region 43, Pierce County Metropolitan Public Safety Communications Interoperable First Responder Emergency Communication System Requesting Entity: Pierce County Sheriff Department, 930 Tacoma Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402 Agency: Department of Justice Account: COPS Tech Funding Requested by: Rep. Dave Reichert Currently, Pierce County has several disparate radio systems which do not allow easy interoperability, or only provide minimal interoperability. There is a drastic need for improved operable communications and interoperable communications in Pierce County which will take advantage of new technology. Two critical components of this project involve a county-wide radio system and 911 dispatch centers. Pierce County will plan, purchase and build a county-wide interoperable radio communications system and two 911 dispatch centers (one police and one fire communications facilities), co-locating participating PSAPs into physically separate, fully redundant and survivable Fire and Police communications facilities. This project will solve the County's interoperability issues and establish the capacity to use operating funds, staff and equipment more efficiently. Building a regional interoperable communications system with two consolidated PSAPs will dramatically improve the ability of first responders to respond to natural or manmade disasters within Pierce County and improve day-to-day operational capabilities. This project comes at a critical time due to sun-setting technology and FCC mandates. Additionally, this will enable all first responders to become interoperable. Citizens of Pierce County and the Puget Sound will benefit from first responders rapidly deploying to events and communicating effectively for life safety issues. Additionally, an estimated 1,080 prevailing wage jobs will be created to construct facilities and communications sites. Further, in-state companies will have the opportunity to participate in supplying building materials, equipment, supplies and services. Local and state governments will benefit from sales tax revenues and permitting fees. Finance Plan: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Site development: Backhoe Excavation for Shelter Foundation Designs... 6,000 Shelter Foundation 12 x 32.......................... 18,500 Generator Foundation................................ 12,300 Fuel Tank Foundation................................ 10,200 Shelter, Fuel Tank and Generator Placement.......... 17,000 Utility Locate...................................... 1,100 High voltage electrical installation................ 30,000 Grounding for new shelter, generator, and tower 17,000 components......................................... Tower Ice Bridge.................................... 5,000 Design Construction Drawings........................ 5,000 As Built Construction Drawings...................... 1,650 Shelter, Generator and Tank and Tower Foundation 5,000 design............................................. Misc. Civil Construction (Includes extended Utility 21,200 Trenching, Rock/Site Finish, Landscaping, Misc. Concrete and Bollards, Fuel Tank, install and fuel) Site Acquisition and Zoning Services (Includes 3,100 Building Permit Processing, Zoning submittal and Approval Process).................................. General Testing (Includes Soil Resistivity Test, 8,000 Compact Test, Concrete Test, Grounding Test, Generator Load Test, and Special Inspections)...... Construction Mgmt Services (includes Subcontractor's 26,100 Construction Management, Project management Project Coordinator, Mobilization, Temp Facilities, Transportation of materials to Site and Close out Preparation)....................................... Tower Foundation.................................... 95,000 Crane Rental........................................ 15,000 Site Topographical Survey........................... 4,100 Standard Geotechnical Investigation................. 20,000 Tower Freight....................................... 18,500 Shelter Freight..................................... 31,000 Tower............................................... 98,000 12 x 32 Shelter w/aggregate ext. & twin A/C units... 94,000 Tower Lighting...................................... 11,000 Self-Supporting Tower Erection...................... 60,000 Fences/Gates........................................ 25,000 Building Permit review.............................. 3,000 Geotech............................................. 6,500 Site Drawings....................................... 2,000 Geotech Follow Up................................... 2,000 Radio base stations (Includes antenna combiners, 165,000 antennas, feedlines and lightning suppression...... Microwave backhaul equipment........................ 140,000 Multiplexers........................................ 20,000 Misc. Parts and Supplies............................ 2,750

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, American jobs are being threatened by new proposals to tax the earnings of American employers operating in markets around the world. We cannot forget that we are in a global economy. America cannot just be a participant in this global economy, but they have to lead in this global economy. In the middle of a downturn, it makes no sense to eliminate a tax incentive like deferral that American employers need to compete in a global marketplace and create American jobs at home. Eliminating tax incentives like deferral would send U.S. jobs overseas and almost make it impossible for us to compete with China, India and Europe. Raising taxes on the earnings of U.S. companies discourages investments at home and increases the cost of employing U.S. workers. One of the largest employers in my districts, Microsoft, said last week that raising these taxes on their foreign earnings would force them to move thousands of employees out of the United States. Congress must help to protect, promote and create jobs at home by encouraging American employers to invest and engage in new markets.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. ChaIr, as of February 28, 2009 all port workers must have a Transportation worker Identification Credential, TWIC, to be granted port access. However, many longshoremen have not yet received a TWIC due to large backlogs at TSA. This backlog is causing undue hardship on longshoremen and their families--many are being prevented from doing their jobs and earning a living. In order to get by, many are depleting their savings to support their families. This problem also unduly disrupts the operations of the ports and the flow of commerce. Today we will consider important legislation to reauthorize the Transportation Security Administration, TSA, and enhance our surface and aviation transportation security. I commend the committee for including language in the bill which clarifies that those who perform work in secure areas of our ports be allowed escorted access to such areas while their application for a TWIC is pending. There is a real need to ensure the safety and security of our ports, however, we must balance this with our need to ensure workers, who pose no threat to the U.S., are able to do their job and earn an honest living.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, today I pause to honor a man who spent more than 40 years using his exceptional journalistic skill, integrity and ethic to promote civic engagement and help educate his readership and many others in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. James F. Vesely retired from The Seattle Times on Friday, May 15, 2009. He oversaw the editorial pages at The Times since 2001 after holding the position of associate editorial page editor for the previous 10 years. During his tenure at the largest newspaper in my home state of Washington, Mr. Vesely consistently pushed The Times editorial pages and its writers to think independently, write accurately and report fairly. And, with an outstanding journalist with a lifetime of experience under his belt in the lead, the editorial page and its writers did just that. During a tremendously difficult time for newspapers throughout our country the editorial pages at The Times spoke consistently, accurately and uncompromisingly. Before joining The Times in 1991, Mr. Vesely spent much of his career in the Midwest, including ten years in Detroit with The Detroit News. He also worked as a consulting editor for the Anchorage Times and as a visiting editor at The People's Daily in Beijing. In the mid-seventies, he was a Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and was a member of the National Conference of Editorial Writers for the past 15 years. Mr. Vesely's involvement in civic engagement was the true barometer of his positive effect on citizens looking to ``get involved'' in their communities and government. In 2005, Mr. Vesely took the time to moderate a forum I held in the 8th District on Social Security and he and The Times Editorial Board hosted, moderated and submitted questions at many political debates--races I was involved in and a variety of others. Mr. Vesely also offered his time to CityClub, a non-profit, non-partisan education organization dedicated to informing citizens and building community leadership, in order to facilitate healthy dialogue and educational opportunities for people in the greater Seattle area. He never rested in educating himself and others to make our corner of the country a more informed, vibrant place to live. With the retirement of James F. Vesely from The Seattle Times, the Pacific Northwest is losing an informed voice of reason and the journalism profession is losing a wealth of experience, wisdom and generosity. I wish Mr. Vesely the best in retirement. He told The Times on May 13 that he was ``plan(ing) to do a lot of fly-fishing''; that sounds like a great start.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today recognizing the outstanding law enforcement officers across our country who received a 2009 TOP COPS award from the National Association of Police Organizations, NAPO. Today, especially, I want to highlight the work of a Sergeant in my home state of Washington and thank him for his exemplary public service. Sergeant Paul E. Johnson of the Olympia Police Department was recognized as an Honorable Mention TOP COPS award recipient. Johnson, a Sergeant in the Patrol Unit, is a 29-year veteran of the Olympia Police Department and has served in various capacities, including several stints as a detective, as well as serving as Sergeant in the Narcotics Task Force and Detective Bureau. Johnson is known department- and city- wide for his attention to detail, his professionalism working with residents and staff, and the pride with which he wears his uniform: all hallmarks of policing ``the Olympia way'', a policy guided by professional enforcement, prevention, planning and coordination. Johnson's son, Corey, is also an officer with the Olympia Police Department and I wish him the very best throughout his career in law enforcement. As a 33-year veteran of law enforcement and the co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, this is a topic close to my heart and it is a pleasure to recognize a wonderful public servant such as Sergeant Paul E. Johnson--and the rest of the recipients around the country--for being honored by NAPO with a TOP COPS award. As this House and law enforcement officers continue to serve the people of the United States, I know this House will continue to serve and support our law enforcement officers.

Mr. REICHERT

Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, if I could just take a moment to have everyone's attention, please. If you look in the gallery, you will notice there are men and women in uniform watching what we do today, and all through the week they have been here watching and listening. But that is not really their purpose in being here this week. This is National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, and I think we should pause for a moment and recognize how fortunate we are to live in a country that has peace and civility and order. The laws that are enforced here are enforced by the men and women behind me and all across this Nation, and many have fallen this year; one hundred and thirty-three officers have died this past year in the United States protecting us all, as we are all protected here in this House. I would like us all to rise for a moment of silence for those officers who have fallen in the line of duty. But before we do that, I would like to yield to my colleague, the other sheriff in Congress, Mr. Ellsworth.