The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“CAPITOL SECURITY” mentioning Patrick J. Leahy was published in the Senate section on page S5148 on July 29.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CAPITOL SECURITY
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on another matter, even during normal times, protecting the U.S. Capitol is a difficult job. Millions of people visit the U.S. Capitol every single year. Five hundred and thirty-five elected officials and their staffs work here every single day. To keep the Capitol Complex safe, to keep it secure, we are lucky to have the best of the best.
Our Capitol Police, who stared down a violent mob on January 6, have been nothing short of heroic--heroic. When the smoke cleared after the attack of January 6, they came back to the Capitol and helped piece together what the rioters had torn apart. In the aftermath of that dark day, the National Guard helped keep watch day and night, 24-7.
I walked the halls of this building early in the morning and saw our National Guard men and women, from New York and so many other States, camped out, helping us, wanting to make sure the Capitol was secure. We owe the Capitol Police and we owe the National Guard our deepest gratitude, but we owe them more than just that. We owe them the resources they need to do a very difficult job and to do it well.
Unfortunately, Congress is on the precipice of failing. Due to unforeseen expenses during the pandemic and the toll incurred by the attack on January 6, funding for our Capitol Police, security at the Capitol Complex, even our National Guard, has come close to running very dry.
Already, the Capitol Police has had to delay vital trainings and the purchase of new safety equipment. Soon, salaries, bonuses, and new hiring will be on the chopping block. According to MG Tom Carden, who sent 1,200 members of the Georgia National Guard to the Capitol after January 6, his unit is facing ``draconian'' cuts if Congress doesn't replenish funding before this weekend. We must not--we must not--let that happen under our watch.
The chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, has been working diligently to come up with a bipartisan agreement. Now, Senator Shelby has joined with him, and they have crafted a $2.1 billion supplemental appropriations bill to fill the shortfalls of our Capitol Police, our National Guard, and a number of other vital defense operations. It is not everything that we wanted. The House's bill is bigger and broader. But it does fill the need, and we need to fill it quickly.
I want to thank Senator Leahy particularly for his relentlessness in pursuing this.
I want to thank Senator Shelby for realizing how important this was in prodding Members on his side of the aisle to move forward.
I also want to thank Senators Klobuchar and Blunt, chairmen of the authorization committee, the Rules Committee, that deals with these issues. Senator Klobuchar in particular, whose hearings and continued focus on Capitol security helped pave the way for the agreement, deserves our kudos.
Now is the time for the Senate to take up and pass this bill on behalf of the brave police officers and servicemembers who defended this very citadel of democracy.
All 50 Senate Democrats fully support this crucial police and security funding. All 50 Democrats are ready to go. We are eager, insistent we meet our deadline.
Again, Democrats are prepared to vote on this bill as soon as possible. With the cooperation of our Republican colleagues, which we hope we will get--our needs are dire--we could pass this bill today.
The last 6 months have pushed those who protect the U.S. Capitol to the limits. In the face of unprecedented adversity, they responded heroically. We must support them now as they so courageously supported us.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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