As result of the fbis investigation they filed charges against two defendants for allegedly conspiring to attack one of the local power grids in baltimore. The defendants who were up early with a neonazi organization had planned to carry out these attacks speeded we will break away from this program but you can continue watching at cspan. Org. We take you live now outside the u. S. Capitol where the nation is honoring Police Officers for National Police week. Under way the Peace Officers Memorial Service in remembrance of fallen officers. Inside the Capitol House lawmakers working on a resolution honoring Police Officers killed in the line of duty. Oh, say, does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [applause] [background sounds] rick snyder, will now deliver invocation. Let us now go to god in prayer. Father god, we thank you for your promises, your provisions and your peace. Lord, we collectively turn our hearts to you now, and we invite you in to this type of reflection, remembrance, restoration and resolve. Father, i ask that your presence befell be felt all those within the sound of my voice, those in person, those watching and listening here, near and far, and though standing with us in spirit your father, we thank you for blessing these families, their communities, their state and our nation with these lies of selfless sacrifice. Made by these fallen officers in which we honor here today. Each of these officers were called by you, lord god, to stay on the thin blue line that separates piece from anarchy, good from evil. These women and men we now pause to honor have given their all infidelity to your cause of peace, protection, and love for their neighbor. Not just do their supreme sacrifice but in their lives lived for others. Lord god, we have traveled to stand with these families and sisters and brothers from Law Enforcement agencies from across this nation. Yes, from around the world. Help us, lord. Help us to remember that we serve a god of provision, protection, healing signs and wonders, all of fudge bring us peace. May your holy spirit speak to us now and my dust that as believers we dont believe in fate. Instead, we believe in faith. Faith in you and your amazing grace. Help us to remember, lord, that you are god and we are not. Therefore, we now draw upon you as our source of strength. Lord, you tell us blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of god. Blessed be the spirit of our fallen officers who bear these scars of sacrifice. Blessed be these families who walk alongside you, and you walk alongside them, carrying them when need be. And blessed, blessed be the peacemakers of the most high, god, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high god who delivers us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Please be seated. Good afternoon. My name is patrick, president of National Fraternal order of police. Half of our board of trustees and all of our 367,000 members it is our honor and privilege to welcome our survivors, fellow officers, Law Enforcement families and distinguished guests to this, the 42nd annual national Peace Officers Memorial Service. I would like to begin by introducing my guests that are joined us on the dais. Beginning with my far right please welcome send sergeant at arms karen gibson at her news corporate sponsor rick smith seal of excellence was honoring us with his first Memorial Service. [applause] we are pleased to have director steve with atf as well as laurie sharp day chair of the National Enforcement officers memorial fund, National President concerned Police Survivors patricia carew and also with us is representative steny hoyer, a longtime friend of the flv and attend a, attendant of the service. Please welcome acting customs and Border Patrol commissioner troy miller and jim with firstnet built by at t, a major supporter of the fraternal order of police and this event. The president of the International Association of chiefs of police, john levy, is also a guest or did as well as Vice President of Governmental Affairs one of our first and most generous corporate partners. I want to thank the chief of our host agency tom major the United StatesCapitol Police for all that he and his agency does in support of this memorial. Thank you, chief. We are honored to have with us the speaker of the United States house of representatives Kevin Mccarthy whos attending his first Memorial Service in his first year as speaker. Mr. Speaker it means a lot to our families to have you with us here today. Glenda lehman the National Fraternal order of Police Auxiliary is here and she will be welcoming you into service in just a few moments. Turning now to my far left, how sergeant at arms William Mcfarland as well as ron davis director of u. S. Marshals service, the director of the United States secret service kim, and dea administrator anne milgram. We also welcome jeh johnson acting director of u. S. Immigrations Customs Enforcement and fbi director chris wray. It is also great to see our good friends and partners the associate attorney general as well as the Deputy Attorney general lisa monaco. And alejandro americas secretary for the department of Homeland Security who is here again and its always been at her Memorial Service at where grateful for all that he does for the men and women in Law Enforcement. We are proud to welcome our nations top cop United States attorney general Merrick Garland whom i will introduce more fully any moment. Mr. Speaker, general carlin, secretary mayorkas, distinguished guests and asking colleagues, friends and family members i thank you for joining us on this Beautiful Day as we gather to celebrate the lives of 443 american heroes. I asked to do look to left into your right. Look at the sea of uniformed officer standing among us. In every Community Across this great nation there are brave men and women just like those you see here protecting life and property so that we may live in a Society Without fear. They sued up and show up every minute of every day without fail and without hesitation. Law enforcement as a calling. We didnt sign up for the minimal pay that often requires overtime and extra duty to pay the bills, working on holidays and night shifts the takes us away from our families or second job mrs. Or after retirement make ends meet. No one, no one puts on a badge and a ballistic vest permitted because he want to experience the worst of humanity. When the physical and emotional scars that are carried for a lifetime. These are the realities of a Law Enforcement, of a Law Enforcement officer. In the past three years have been a never ending everchanging challenge for our profession and it is tested each of us to our corporate our lives to change the ways that wouldve seemed unimaginable yet we stand courageously on a fine line between order and chaos. My friends, theres never been a more dangerous and uncertain time for our profession and still theres a special group of men and women who wake up every day and choose to stand in the line between good and evil. At the end of our shifts we take pride in a Job Well Done saving of life, finding a lost child, protecting about it spells, offering assistance daily and keeping criminals out of the lives of people we serve. Why do we do it . Because Law Enforcement officers are ordinary people with a surfeit heart and a patch to higher calling a Public Service and the times were called upon to do extraordinary things. Today more than ever a debt of gratitude is owed to those who show up every day to do the right thing protecting our communities and making a difference. Now i ask you to look to the center of our lawn. The sheer number of these white chairs is overwhelming. These white chairs are a symbol of loss and grief and proof that all too often the worst happens and would lose a hero in the line of duty. We gather today to pay tribute and honor to the men and women with given the last full measure of devotion in the service of others. Many have lost many were lost after a long valiant fight with bill is one of the ever had opportunity to return home to the families at the end of their shifts. Each of these white chairs represents a hero thats taken too soon and it also symbolizes our surviving families. Those of you who must carry on in the wake of crippling loss that has forever altered your lives and left in a penis that can never be filled. You all have a difficult know this, find comfort in knowing that we all share in your loss. Laugh, cry come talk about here but honor their sacrifice by finding peace and living each day to the fullest. It is my promise to you that your sacrifice will never be forgotten nor will they be minimized for an honoring our brave heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice we are ensuring the legacy Law Enforcement bravery courage and sacrifice that is the fabric of america. To our surviving families both blood and blue as president of the National Fraternal order of police is my honor to stand before you today representing Law Enforcement officers all across this great nation to say that we stand with you. We share in your sorrow, when one with each of you and we express our heartfelt gratitude and respect for your heroes courage and sacrifice. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. I would like to introduce glenda lehman president of the National Fraternal order please auxiliary to welcome you to this Memorial Service. [applause] attorney general carlin, esteemed guests, brothers and sisters of Law Enforcement, and family and friends of our fallen heroes, i welcome you to the 42nd annual Peace Officers Memorial Service. In 1962 president john f. Kennedy proclaimed that made 15 of each year would be observed as peace officers memorial day. Every year on may 15 our nations Law Enforcement gather here at the west line of our Nations Capital to pay tribute to the brave men and women who lay down their lives in the call of duty. We gather today to honor your loved one. Today, the names of 4433 brave men and women will be read during our roll call. But let us not forget that each name represents a life lost, a life that ended too soon. Each name represents someones mother or father, their spouse or a brother or sister, son or daughter, a friend. These brave officers gave their lives to protect our safety and the safety of the communities that they served. To the families and friends and the fellow officers of these heroes, we know while we have no words or action that could lessen your loss or take away the pain, we hope that with todays service that we are able to bring some measure of comfort in knowing that your Law Enforcement family stands with you. Thousands of Law Enforcement officers have gathered to honor your loved ones and to recognize their service and sacrifice, and your sacrifice. Joseph campbell said, a hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than ones self. Every day our Law Enforcement across our country put on the uniform complete of loved ones and they go out into our communities to do something bigger than themselves. They serve to keep us safe, to stop the violence, to restore the peace. They assist those in need many time bring hope which are at the difficult moments of others lives. Whether its assisting a stranded motorist or responding to Domestic Service called for holding the front line during a pandemic or natural disaster. They are serving something bigger than ones self, and these are our heroes. On behalf of a a grateful natn we extend our heartfelt condolences to the many women of the fraternal order of police and the fraternal order of police all auxiliary are committed to continue to support you. You will forever be a part of our Law Enforcement family. I i extend our unending support and i pledge that the fraternal order of Police Auxiliary will always be here for you. We will never let you walk alone. May god bless you and keep you. [applause] please join in marketing American Country music artist and song writer Darryl Burley who will perform in this my friend. I miss the look of surrender in your eyes the wager soft brown hair would fall i miss the power of your kiss when we made love. Oh but maybe most of all i miss my friend the one my heart and soul confided in the one i felt the safest with the one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again let the light back in i miss my friend. I miss the colors that you brought into my life your golden smile, those bluegreen eyes i miss your gentle voice in lonely times like now saying it will be all right i miss my friend the one my heart and soul confided in the one i felt the safest with the one who knew just what you say to make me laugh again and let the light back in i miss my friend i miss those nights i even miss our silly fights the making up the morning talks cox and those Late Afternoon walks i miss my friend the one my heart and soul confided in the one i felt the safest with the one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again and let the light back in i miss my friend i miss my friend i miss my friend [applause] mr. Verrilli, thank you for putting into words a song that captures the feelings and emotions of so many here in service today. There are times when we hear a song and lyrics help us find peace and there are times when the lyrics of a song find us. Brothers and sisters it is my honor and privilege to have come to introduce our attorney general Merrick Garland who is here at this Memorial Service. Circle on behalf of the surviving family and all of our officers are today please accept our heartfelt gratitude for joining us at this solemn event. It is been a difficult time for Law Enforcement and our country. We struggle to retain veteran officers and recruit the best and brightest for the next generation of police. You have and continue to be a leader in helping our noble profession and trust this crisis to you under deputy associate an attorney joe had been an invaluable resource to us and were very proud of the partnership that we have with you and your department of justice. Brothers and sisters please welcome to our service our nations top Law Enforcement officer, United States attorney general Merrick Garland who also share a message from the United States president joseph biden. [applause] good morning on such a beautiful morning. As pat noted i been asked to share a letter from President Biden in recognition of todays memorial before my own remarks. From the president , greetings to the fraternal order of police, to the members of our Law Enforcement community, and to all the families who are gathered for this Years NationalPeace Officers Memorial Service. Jill and i are attending our granddaughters College Graduation today, but sincerely wish we could be with you for this important Memorial Service. To the families of the fallen, i know events like this are really difficult. Hearing the name of your beloved husband, wife, son or daughter brings it all back as if you just got the news yesterday. No words can fill the void left in your hearts. Although i didnt necessarily know your loved one personally, i knew them. They are always the first ones to run to help, even when everyone else ran away. Every day they can on that shield and walk out the door towards the danger, putting themselves on the line to keep the rest of us safe. Being a Police Officer is not just what they did. Its who they were. It was in their dna to serve, protect, and defend. They represented the very best of us. I hope you draw comfort and strength in knowing that the sacrifice of your loved one will never be forgotten, that your extended Law Enforcement family will always be there for you. And i promise that day will come when the memory of your loved one brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. My prayer for you to set the table, sooner than later. Today, as we honor our fallen officers may repeat find a a purpose worthy of how they lived. As a country i know that we can find that purpose as well. Our nation owes our officers a debt of gratitude. We can never fully repay them for their service or your sacrifice. This week i am honored to host a medal of valor at the white house, the highest award a a president can the stove to Public Safety officers, to give thanks for all that you do for your fellow americans. I believe there is no greater responsibility of government that ensuring the safety the American People and those who sacrifice to serve and protect us all. Let us all remember the families, the fallen, and their communities. May god bless them. May god protect our Law Enforcement. May god bless you all. [applause] and now for my remarks. President yoes come auxiliary president lehmann, it is an honor to be here with you today. Jim, you became executive director of the National Fraternal order of police in january of 1995, just months after i i began my third tourf duty at the Justice Department. You have been a friend to the department and to me ever since. My gratitude is beyond words. Pat and glinda, thank you also for your partnership, for your leadership and for your unwavering dedication to supporting our nations Law Enforcement officers. Joining us from the Justice Department today are Deputy Attorney general lisa monaco, associate attorney general vanita gupta, fbi director chris wray, dea administrator anne milgram, atf director steve, and u. S. Marshals Service Director ron davis. Last week the Justice Department held a series of memorials for fallen Law Enforcement officers from her own agencies. We heard stories of extraordinary heroes, and we met and cried with the families they left behind. To the family members, partners, colleagues and friends who have traveled here today to remember your loved ones, we know it is impossible to understand the grief you endure or to fully comprehend your loss. So as we pay tribute to the Law Enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country, we also honor the ongoing sacrifices by those they love the most. Thank you so much for being here. And just a few miss we will hear the names of 443 officers who comprise this years roll call of heroes. These are individuals who answered the call to serve from a wide variety of backgrounds bringing different perspectives and different experiences to their work. They served in big cities and small towns. Some served for decades and mentor generations. Others had only just begun their careers. But each made the same promise, to serve and protect their communities. They promised that when a call for help gain, they would answer. They promised that when a crisis arose in their community, they would respond. They promised that nothing, no danger, no threat, would stop them from showing up when they were needed the most. Each of the individuals we honor today kept that promise. I want to highlight just a few of their stories. During the five and half years that corporal ray hamilton served with the Okaloosa CountySheriff Office in florida, he received not one but two lifesaving awards. He excelled as a Law Enforcement officer, as a crime scene investigator, a Field Training officer, and finally a member of the Okaloosa CountySheriffs Office special Response Team. On Christmas Eve last year, the special Response Team was called then when the domestic violent suspect refused to leave the residence. Corporal hamilton and his team answered the call. The suspect shot corporal hamilton from the window, killing him. His wife renee is here with us today. Thank thank you, renee, forg us to honor your husband. [applause] detective my dishes do it from greenville, mississippi, had only served with the Greenville Police department for two years. But in that time she graduated from the mississippi delta commuter College Police academy, became an investigator and was named the 2021 rookie of the year. Her commitment to the Greenville Community was evident in all of her work, including when she responded to a shots fired call last october. Detective stewart did not make it home that night. She was shot and killed in the line of duty, and taken from her loved ones, including her threeyearold son. We joined them in honoring the memory of detective stewart. [applause] officer howard lieb and could serve with the Trident Capital pleas for over 15 years. During that time he was known to his colleagues and to the people he protected as kind, thoughtful and selfless. When the Trident Capital and Law Enforcement officers protecting it were attacked on january 6, 2021, he answered the call. He helped to defend and secure the capital and our democracy that day. Tragically, within days of the attack, officer liebengood died by suicide. His wife serena and siblings john and and are with us today. We are grateful to honor officer liebengood alongside you. [applause] together with Extraordinary Team at the fop, officer liebengood family and many, many others advocated for passage of the Public Safety officer support act of 2022. That act expanded coverage of the Public Safety officers benefits program that are administered by the Justice Departments bureau of justice assistance. Because of their advocacy, coverage now extends to officers who are permanently and totally disabled due to Certain Mental Health disorders, as well as to those who died by suicide as a result of exposure to traumatic events they encounter while on duty. This change is essential. It was long overdue. [applause] every single day Law Enforcement officers are asked to respond to some of the most difficult, the most dramatic moments that our communities face. You are asked to be on the front lines of combating violent crime, at the same time youre asked to serve as First Responders to some of our most entrenched social problems. You confront devastating and dangerous situations. You witnessed horrible tragedies. You endure extraordinary violence and threats of violence directed against you. You do all of this as your departments, offices and agencies continue to struggle with the crisis in recruitment and retention, increasing the already heavy load on those who serve. And you did all of this during a Global Pandemic that strange or departments nationwide and made your jobs even riskier. Officers experience of daily stress and trauma merely by doing their jobs at a level that the rest of us cannot even begin to comprehend. We know that stress can take a toll on officers mental health, on their physical wellness and on their morale. And every day, with officers return home, it is their families who support and encourage them. Even if families struggle with her own fears for the safety of their loved ones. Law enforcement officers and their families deserve enormous respect and gratitude for their Unselfish Service to their communities, but they deserve more. They deserve the resources they need to stay safe and supported. The United States department of justice is committed to doing everything in our power to provide that support. We are investing in programs that support safety, health and wellness and intends to improve recruitment and retention, and initiatives that help local Law Enforcement build trust between police and the communities they serve. We know that when our officers are safe and supported, our communities are, too. Today, we honor 443 extraordinary officers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their communities. That we do so here in front of our capital and surrounded by the institutions that make up our democracy is no accident. What distinguishes the United States of america from so many other countries is that the protection of law, the rule of law, is the foundation of our system of governance. And a center to the rule of law are the people who dedicate their lives to enforcing it. In so doing, they ensured that the rest of us can enjoy our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we soon listen to the names of those heroes, may we remember their courage with which they lived and worked. May we rededicate ourselves to supporting their colleagues and their loved ones, and may we honor their sacrifice through our continued work to keep our communities safe. Thank you. [applause] im not refight attorney general carlin to place the first flower on our memorial reef i now invite [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] please welcome andy who also served as cochair of our memorial committee. He will read the final inspection. The final inspection. The policeman stood and face his god which was always come to pass. He hoped the shoes were shining just as brightly as his brass. Step forward now policeman. How shall i deal with you . Have always turn the other cheek to my church . Have you been true . The policemen squared his shoulders and said, no, lord, i guess i aint because those of us who carry badges that ive had to work most sundays and at times my talk was rough and sometimes ive been violent because the streets are awful tough. But he never took a penny that wasnt mine to keep, though i work a lot of overtimes when the bills got deep. I never passed a cry for help though at times i shook with fear that sometimes god forgive me i wept manly tears. I know i dont deserve a place among the people here, they never wanted me around except to calm their fear. If you have a place for me here, lord, be it so great. I never expected or had too much but if you dont ill understand. There was silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod. As a policeman waited quietly for the judgment of his god. Step forward, now policeman. You have borne your burdens well. Can walk the beat on heavens streets. Youve done your time and help. In hell. [applause] please welcome rich sheeler fraternal order of Police National trustee for the state of massachusetts who will perform family tree. Branches in the wind stand in need to gather one more storm to whether to get through, and yet so we gather here with a nod to each other. Lets go, dont forget now as we say goodbye to one of our own, we may be lonely but were not alone. Though the lease will fall and the tears will flow, and always comforts us to know, the family tree will always grow. Father down to son, mother to daughter ticket and water from the earth we rise to the earth returning well keep a candle burning for the ones will miss now as we say goodbye to one of our own we may be lonely but were not alone though the leads will fall and the tears will flow, may it always comforts us to know the family tree will always grow stronger than the wind can blow the family tree will always grow cspan is your unfiltered view of government. We are funded by these Television Companies and more including comcast. Are you thinking this is just a king dissenter . No. Its way more than that. Comcast is partnering with 1000 committee sedges to create wifi enabled a the lift zoneo students can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. Comcast supports cspan is a Public Service along with these other Television Providers giving you a frontrow seat to democracy. The Biden Administration is requesting 18. 9 billion for the Us Department the u. S. Department of the interior for 2024, an increase of 2 2 bn from this year. Interior secretary deb haaland testified on the Budget Proposal before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee. She was asked about pushing for more Domestic Oil Production and that the u. S. Natural resources. This is just under two hours. [inaudible conversations]