c-span now, our free mobile app, or online at c-span.org. announcer: house speaker mike johnson delivered a tribute to fallen police officers during a prayer vigil on capitol hill. joining him at the podium was the widow of an atlantic city police officer, and a retired nypd detective. a widower of a deceased lieutenant. rep. johnson: we want to thank you all for being here on what is a somber evening. there is a biblical admonition that we are to give honor where honor is due, and we take that very seriously. during during national police

week and ahead of peace officers memorial day, we give much deserved recognition to our law enforcement officers and in particular, of course, those who have fallen in the line of duty. these are the men and women who pursue justice, maintain order, and guard the safety of our communities from crime and chaos. and those who have given their lives for this noble and necessary cause are buried with honor. and, of course, with hardwick. we mourn because they were taken too soon, but in their supreme sacrifice, they have shown the greatest form of love, the act of laying down one's life for others. 26 thousand officers have died in the line of duty in the u.s., 56 this past year alone. vocation. it is a dangerousvocation. but it is more than a vocation, it is a calling. these officers exemplify the american spirit.

-- they have pledged their lives in sacred honor so that we may all live in peace. today we gather to pay tribute to those who clothe themselves in uniforms of dignity and decency, those who stand on the lines of justice keep us all safe. we also say thank you to the families who have lost their loved ones because of their commitment to keeping our community safe. i want to introduce to you someone special, jennifer mcmaken. in 2005, her husband, patrolman thomas mcmaken lost his life in the line-of-duty. jennifer, to you and the families who share your experience, we are forever indebted and we would invite her to share a few thoughts this evening.

>> thank speaker. my husband tom was a third-generation atlantic city police officer. since 1947 when his grandfather first was hired, there have been many family members today still on the department. two of his uncles are retired chiefs of police and his aunt was the first female captain in all of new jersey. his father was an atlantic city fireman. his tour ended in 1996 when he was paralyzed in a car accident. his brother and only sibling is a fireman today still in the city. from a very young age my husband need to follow in his family's footsteps. we met when i was 19 and he joined the police academy a few months later. he had just graduated from rutgers university a few years before five years later in 2005 he was struck by a bus while directing traffic away from an earlier accident scene. i never hired the knock on the door, i was at work when they came to get me in the government will live with me forever.

he fought for his life for eight hours that night but i knew he could hear me. i had made him a promise, i promised him i would never forget him. . i would honor his memory always. . tom was 28 when he was killed. i became a widow at 23 years old. our daughter was only. 2 she was his world and he was so proud when he became a father. he couldn't go to the store without coming home without something for her. he loved being a dad. she has had to grow up with only stories of her father. the one memory she was since she had was his voice and i can't give her that, but continued to share stories of his life he isn't here to see her grow up, but i know he is watching from above. she graduated in 20 2021 and next year it will be graduating from rutgers university as well, just like her dad. she was

she is a paraeducator for the university and i know he is proud. she and i had to grow up together. i was a young mom. and i was afraid i would have to navigate this new life alone. but from the very first day, i was never alone. others in law enforcement where they're preparing me for the funeral and what is to come. i have the support of other members who are here with me today. i entered the world of law enforcement when i met my husband and it continues to this day. i am not only a police needle, but also a police wife. my husband bill is a sergeant with a police department in pennsylvania. our son is 13. he was born on my late husband's birthday. i try not to worry every day when my husband leaves work. but the fear still creeps in and i know it always will.

but i am so proud of him for what he does just as i was proud of tom. we come to d.c. for police week every year, and we go to the national memorial. for myself, at the time of healing. my husband's name surrounded by dozens of other officers, brothers and sisters. it is there where i feel his presence the most. this year 282 names were added to the memorial. 282 mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. children who will grow up without a mother or a father. we are here for them as well and we always will be a year after year. it is one of the few memorials that has no end. in the near future, the wall will run out of space for the names, but they will always continue. my husband died doing what he loved. most don't get to say that. thank you for being here today. thank you for remembering. we will never forget. >> thank you.

rep. johnson: thank you so much for sharing that and congratulations to you, for fulfilling your father's legacy. that is something to be proud of. joining us today is tommy donahue, retired nypd detective who lost his wife marie donahue in 2022. marine was an nypd lieutenant and we wanted to have him share a few remarks as well. tom? >> mr. speaker, members of congress and guests, i am retired detective thomas donahue and i am here in tribute to my late wife defendant maureen donahue of the nypd who died of 9/11-related cancer. in a matter of weeks, this is the fourth memorial i have been two and a fourth wall her name has been added to. trust me, it doesn't get easier.

although it doesn't get easier, events like this are important in the tradition, as we say, of never forgetting. certainly it is crucial to never forget the officers who have sacrificed their lives while serving. remembering them reaffirms the values of courage, bravery and commitment to community safety they stood for. events like these not only honor their memory, but also reminds us of the debt of gratitude we owe those who still wear their uniform. these units if demonstrate the federal law enforcement. they have families and some come from a law enforcement family. maureen's grandfather was a member of the garda in ireland. her siblings are all nypd cops. as we continue to honor -- sorry

-- as we continue to honor these officers, let us also remember that they had fears and dreams like everyone else, if they choose to put themselves at risk and make our communities safer and better places for all. their sacrifice and dedication are in necessity for safer communities act. let us always honor and remember their service, ensuring their legacy lives on, even though they are no longer with us. when each of them continue to rest in peace. thank you, and god bless. rep. johnson: thank you, tommy. he and all the many members of family here, thank you for being here. we want to thank all the members of congress who are here, a great cross-section of leaders from around the nation whose hearts are intertwined with all of you and we do feel your loss

acutely. they want to share a moment of status here and then i will close as in the prayer and although the weather is not permitting, we will still venture outside, some of us, to put flags out on the ground, so. if you could join us in the moment of silence for the fallen. [moment of silence for the fallen] rep. johnson: heavenly father, your word tells us to pray for those in authority and so we do, we pray for our law-enforcement officers.

i am reminded of the 13th chapter of romans where it says that "those who maintain order, those who are called, the civil authorities in certain cases god's agent of wrath to bring punishment upon the wrong door." it is a calling and i heavenly vocation in that regard. father, we ask you to empower all those who have heated this product with wisdom in the face of danger. watch over them and unite them safely with their families as they go about their duties. equip them with patients so they may deal decisively and carefully with the depravity of this world. use them father, to deter criminals and execute justice. give them all the power and skill to keep our communities safe and make our people treat them with the respect that they are certainly due. father, we ask you to be near the families of the officers

whom you have called home. let them know that that -- the sacrifice was not in vain. show them mercy and love as they mourn and feel the pain of that loss. we pray that you, our good shepherd, will restore their souls and cause them to experience your peace that surpasses all understanding. we ask all these things in your holy name. amen. >> amen. rep. johnson: i invite all those willing to brave the weather with us to join us in placing american flags on the ground to represent those brave officer that we lost. thank you for being here. thank you again. well done. >> mr. speaker, thank you. rep. johnson: thank you. [chatter] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute,

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