[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 17]
[Ch. 36. Ceremonies and Awards]
[§15. —Honoring Slain Capitol Police Officers]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[Page 207-210]
CHAPTER 36
Ceremonies and Awards
Sec. 15. --Honoring Slain Capitol Police Officers
Capitol Police officers John Michael Gibson and Jacob Joseph
Chestnut were slain in the line of duty by an intruder armed with a gun
at 3:40 p.m. on July 24, 1998. The House adopted House Concurrent
Resolution 310, honoring the officers in a number of ways: by
authorizing the Sergeant at Arms to make payments in connection
[[Page 208]]
with funeral expenses, authorizing the Chief Administrative Officer to
pay a gratuity to their surviving spouses,(1) and
authorizing the use of the Rotunda for a memorial service(2)
in memory of the officers. The House also adopted House Concurrent
Resolution 311 honoring the memory of the officers and marking the
day's adjournment in respect of their memory.(3)
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1. See Ch. 38, Sec. 3.5 infra.
2. Ibid.
3. See 144 Cong. Rec. 17440-67, 105th Cong. 2d Sess., July 27, 1998.
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The bodies of Officers Chestnut and Gibson were placed ``in honor''
in the Capitol Rotunda. The distinction of ``lying in honor'' was
created for the occasion and served to distinguish this event from
those where the bodies of government officials ``lay in state.''
On Oct. 15, 1998, the House adopted a concurrent resolution
redesignating the United States Capitol Police headquarters building as
the ``Eney, Chestnut, Gibson Memorial Building''.(4) In the
year following the shootings, the House adopted a concurrent resolution
designating the Document Door of the Capitol as the Chestnut-Gibson
``Memorial Door''.(5)
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4. See Sec. 22.3, infra.
5. See Sec. 22.2, infra.
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The Speaker has led the House in a moment of silence at 3:40 p.m.
on the anniversary of the shootings.(6)
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6. See, e.g., 152 Cong. Rec. 15548, 109th Cong. 2d Sess., July 24,
2006; 151 Cong. Rec. 17180, 109th Cong. 1st Sess., July 25,
2005; 149 Cong. Rec. 19461, 19462, 108th Cong. 1st Sess., July
24, 2003; 147 Cong. Rec. 14308, 107th Cong. 1st Sess., July 24,
2001; and 146 Cong. Rec. 15902, 106th Cong. 2d Sess., July 24,
2000. -------------------
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Sec. 15.1 The House by unanimous consent adopted a Senate concurrent
resolution providing for the printing and distribution of eulogies
for the two slain police officers.
On July 27, 1998,(1) the following proceedings took
place:
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1. 144 Cong. Rec. 17467, 17468, 105th Cong. 2d. Sess.
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PRINTING OF EULOGIES AND TEXT OF MEMORIAL SERVICES AS TRIBUTE
TO DETECTIVE JOHN MICHAEL GIBSON AND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JACOB
JOSEPH CHESTNUT OF THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE
Mr. [Bill] THOMAS [of California]. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent for the immediate consideration of the Senate concurrent
resolution (S. Con. Res. 112) to authorize the printing of the
eulogies of the Senate and the House of Representatives for
Detective John Michael Gibson and Private First Class Jacob Joseph
Chestnut.
[[Page 209]]
The Clerk read the title of the Senate concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER.(2) Is there objection to the request of
the gentleman from California?
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2. Newt Gingrich (GA).
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There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate concurrent resolution, as follows:
S. Con. Res. 112
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That the eulogies for Detective John Michael
Gibson and Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut of the
United States Capitol Police, as expressed in the House of
Representatives and the Senate together with the text of the
memorial services, shall be printed as a tribute to Detective
Gibson and Officer Chestnut, with illustrations and suitable
binding. The document shall be prepared under the direction of
the Joint Committee on Printing. These shall be printed 300
casebound copies; 50 to be delivered to each of the families of
Detective Gibson and Officer Chestnut, and 200 for the use of
the United States Capitol Police.
The Senate concurrent resolution was concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Sec. 15.2 After the prayer, approval of the Journal, and the pledge of
allegiance to the flag on a second legislative day dedicated to
honoring the memory of Officers Chestnut and Gibson, the Chair (1)
entertained one-minute speeches and five-minute special order
speeches; (2) declared a recess until a time certain; (3) after the
recess entertained a motion for a call of the House; (4) declared
another recess during which Members proceeded to the Rotunda for a
viewing of the slain officers; (5) adjourned in honor of the memory
of the two slain officers; and (6) announced that Members would
proceed en masse through the double doors opposite the rostrum to a
memorial service in the Rotunda.
On July 28, 1998,(1) the Chair entertained one-minute
speeches and five-minute special order speeches and then declared a
recess until a time certain:
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1. 144 Cong. Rec. 17480-82, 17500, 17501, 105th Cong. 2d Sess.
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ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore.(2) The chair would now
entertain 1-minute requests and then 5-minute special orders until
11:30. . . .
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2. Richard Burr (NC). -------------------
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RECESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina). Pursuant
to clause 12 of rule I, the Chair declares the House in recess
until approximately 11:30 a.m.
[[Page 210]]
Accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 17 minutes a.m.), the House
stood in recess until approximately 11:30
a.m. -------------------
AFTER RECESS
The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the
Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina) at 11 o'clock and
30 minutes a.m. -------------------
CALL OF THE HOUSE
Mr. [Ken] CALVERT [of California]. Mr. Speaker, I move a call
of the House.
A call of the House was ordered.
The call was taken by electronic device, and the following
Members responded to their names:
[Roll No. 341] . .
. -------------------
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will proceed through the
center doors to the Rotunda for the viewing of Detective John
Gibson and Officer Jacob
Chestnut. -------------------
RECESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12 of rule I, the
House stands in recess until approximately 1 p.m.
Accordingly (at 11 o'clock and 56 minutes a.m.) the House stood
in recess until approximately 1
p.m. -------------------
AFTER RECESS
The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the
Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Burr of North Carolina) at 1 p.m. . .
. -------------------
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. [Gil] GUTKNECHT [of Minnesota]. Mr. Speaker, in honor of
the memory of John Michael Gibson and Jacob Joseph Chestnut, I move
that the House do now adjourn.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced
that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas
392, nays 0, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 41, as follows:
[Roll No. 342] . . .
So the motion was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
(Following adjournment of the House, the Speaker pro tempore
announced that Members should proceed through the double doors to
the memorial service).