House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in support of H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th:
I yield myself such time as I may consume. But far too much time has been consumed already. Two hundred and four days ago, this building - this very chamber - was brutally attacked. A mob of violent insurrectionists invaded our Capitol - hellbent on stopping the peaceful transfer of power. For the first time in over two centuries, the temple of our democracy was defiled and damaged.
The brave men and women of our Capitol Police protected us. And since that fateful day, they have continued to work day in and day out, with only the barest minimum of support. They have soldiered on with physical, mental, and emotional trauma and have sacrificed their own needs and those of their families for the safety and security of our democracy. We need to respect their service.
The legislation the House two months ago passed was a very strong bill that met the needs of the Capitol Police who were so brutally attacked and the National Guard who bravely responded. I am pleased that the Senate amendment largely leaves those provisions intact, which is why we are bringing it to the Floor today.
However, the Senate bill falls short of what we need in key areas. It does not include resources to prosecute the terrorists who attacked our government and it does not have enough funding to secure the Capitol for the long term.
These needs will not disappear. And as we pass this bill today, we know that we are not finished - and we are committed to filling in the gaps the Senate amendment has left.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is not perfect. But time is running short and the immediate needs are dire.
In those harrowing moments of January 6, the men and women of the Capitol Police protected us. They said yes. Now, we must protect them. We must say yes. Vote yes.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
