Honoring 2007 National Police Week
Floor Speech
HONORING 2007 NATIONAL POLICE WEEK -- (Senate - May 14, 2007)
Mr. REID. Mr. President, this weekend I had the good fortune of having my brother in town. My brother Don is the oldest of four boys. He is 12 years older than I. He served in the Marine Corps, and during the Korean War he served in the Army. It was a wonderful time we had yesterday. Among other things, we went to Arlington National Cemetery. He wanted to go there.
I have been here a long time. I went to law school here, and I now have been in Congress for about 25 years. You don't often take the opportunity--because you are busy doing other things--to visit the wonderful attractions there are in the District of Columbia area.
Arlington Cemetery is a place that every Member of Congress should go once in a while. It is amazing to see all those graves. I went, as I have on a number of occasions, to President Kennedy's grave site. We saw the eternal flame. He is there with his two babies and his wonderful wife.
We watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We visited the Iwo Jima memorial--it is called the Marine Corps Memorial. Iwo Jima is mentioned there. I have been reading a lot about that lately. There are some books, such as Flags of Our Fathers--I don't want to hurt Clint Eastwood's feelings, but the book is much better than his movie. It is a wonderful book about the people who raised the flag over Iwo Jima. That was quite a battle on that little island. The fighting lasted 40 days. Seven thousand Americans were killed and 20,000 wounded. During the first few days, hundreds were being killed every day. Even though that battle lasted a little over a month, a significant percentage of all of the Medals of Honor that were awarded during that war were awarded to the Battle of Iwo Jima.
So, Mr. President, for me to go yesterday to the cemetery at Arlington and see the eternal flame at President Kennedy's grave, to go to the Iwo Jima monument speaks in words that cannot be described in just the setting rather than the actual words you are hearing of the uncommon valor of the courageous American men and women in uniform serving overseas.
On Saturday, we also visited the World War II monument, the relatively new monument in the area. We went to the FDR Memorial, Lincoln's monument. These are things I enjoyed doing, but I especially enjoyed them because my brother was there with me.
Our troops serve as we speak with great valor overseas. Thousands and thousands more do the same for us here at home.
Last night, National Police Week kicked off with a candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. President Kennedy actually designated May 15 of every year as the ``National Peace Officers Memorial Day'' and the week surrounding it ``Police Week.'' Forty-five years later, our commitment to honor the memories of officers lost in the line of duty, police officers lost in the line of duty, as well as those who continue to serve us, remains as strong as ever.
At last night's candlelight vigil, the names of all 145 officers killed in the line of duty in 2006 were read. One of those names was Sgt. Henry Prendes of Las Vegas. He was a member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
On February 1, 2006, Sergeant Prendes was the first to respond to a domestic violence call involving a man brutally beating a woman. As Sergeant Prendes approached the suspect, he was fatally shot and killed by a semiautomatic rifle.
Sergeant Prendes had spent 14 years on the force protecting the people of Las Vegas.
His wife Dawn and daughters Brooke and Kylee are in Washington this week to honor their husband and father.
It is impossible to imagine the void left in Dawn, Brooke, and Kylee's hearts. Perhaps that void will be eased in some small way by the pride in knowing that their father and husband served his community and our country with extraordinary courage and uncommon valor.
During this National Police Week, the memory of Sergeant Prendes and all those who have likewise fallen in the line of duty this year and in years past are foremost in our thoughts.
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