[Pages H5062-H5063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THANK YOU TO OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM

  (Mr. HUIZENGA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HUIZENGA. Mr. Speaker, I remind Mr. Bilirakis, everyone knows 
that Detroit is actually hockey town.
  Mr. Speaker, every day, members in law enforcement put on their 
uniform not knowing if they are going to come home, these mothers, 
fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters.
  In an era of heightened rhetoric, I stand here today to say thank you 
to our women and men in uniform.
  Recently, we have seen a rise in attacks against police officers 
across the country and even in west Michigan.
  This month, officers in Muskegon Heights responded to a domestic 
disturbance where two people were shot, one of them murdered.
  A police chase ensued when a deputy encountered the suspect driving 
the wrong way. When the deputy tried to apprehend the suspect while 
driving, he was fired upon.
  Multiple departments working together were able to use a police 
cruiser to disable the suspect's vehicle.
  Unbeknownst to the officers, there was also a developmentally 
disabled woman in the backseat who was rescued and brought to safety.
  This incredible story follows a weekend where 11 shootings took place 
in Grand Rapids.
  Despite all this, some of my colleagues still think that defunding 
the police is a good idea. I am here to tell you it is not. This will 
only hurt community policing initiatives for the very communities that 
need it the most.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I say thank you to the incredible men and women who

[[Page H5063]]

serve in west Michigan. We stand with you and appreciate your 
professionalism, your courage, and your dedication to our community.

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