a better life if not for for their kids. my italian grandparents never spoke english. r had a conversation with them. and yet they made america great. announcer: this friday, author and coulter -- over the question, should the i? watch friday at 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span and onli a announcer: since 1979, in partnership with the cable du, c-span has provided complete cove hls of congress. from the house and senate floors to congressional hearings, party briefings, and meetings. c-span gives you a front row seat to how issues are debated and decided. with no commentary, no

unfiltered. c-span, your unfiltered view of government. announcer: president biden offered his condolences to the families of fallen police officers during remarks at the national peace memorial service at the u.s. capitol. the president also reaffirmed his commitment to mental health resourcers [applause] pres. biden: thank you for your service to our nation and for inviting me to join yoceagain t. i would also like to thank the attorney general and deputy attorney general, as well as

homeland sectary of security. director of fbi, secret service, u.s. marshals service, and the capitol police for theersh. we are also joined by my good friend wade carpenter, president of the chief of police, and president of the firefighters union. and thank you for mems of congress here today. two weeks ago, i was in charlotte, north carolina. spent some time with the families ofhe eight brief police officers who were shot in the line of duty. tragically, four of them were killed. they husbands, fathers, heroes. and all of you who serve and for

your families left behind, you live a simple trut every time you put on that shield and walk out of the house, your family wonders if that call will come or if they'll get that terrible call somewhdu or night. we owe you as a nation. this year, we honor over 200 heroic womnd across the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice. for al fallen officers, i know hearing the name of your husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter, brother or sister brings it all back as if you got tha just 10 minutes ago. that black hole in the middle of your chest -- you feel like u're being sucked into. it's like losing part of your soul. i know. when my son beau spent a year in iraq, he came home with stage four glioblastoma and was going to die, an d i know what it's like. i get a feeling that you all know, as well, who have lost in the past.

you know, i found out there is only one thing -- at least for me, when i got the call that my wife and daughter were dead, when i about to die -- i know the only one thing that helped: family. if you havmi tight. hold on to each other, because the day will come -- it's hard to believe -- when the thought of your husband or your wife or your son or your daughter will bring a smile to your lips it br eye. it takes a long time, but it my wish for you: it'll come sooner than later. there is a line from the english poet john milton. he said, “they also serve who only stand and wait.” every family of an officer stands and waits so their loved one can serve the rest of us.i g

here. and i hope you take comfort in the knowledge that their sacrifice will never be forgotten and then, in this extended family of women and men always be there for you -- other police officers, they'll always be there for you. throughout my career, i've unfortunately spoken at too many funerals of too many police officers -- extraordinary, hercs who kept us safe. being a police officer is nott u are. you're just like all the women aw eorcement i grew up with in scranton and claymont, delaware. you always run toward danger as ot ay from it. most of you, even when you were kids, you did it, lo bore you became an officer. you run toward the cries for help knowing that co of help. it's part of your dna to serve, you represent the very best of

america. you're the steel spine of this country. back in february, i convened a group of police chiefs at the to talk about the hard work you're doing to make our communities safer. being a cop is one hell ofot harder than it's ever been. we expect everything of you. we expect everyone -- drug counselors, you're supposeto be, protti kids who have been abandoned, guardians in communities flooded with weapons of fear. one of my presidency, i've been working to make sure you have the tools you need to protect, the partners you need, and the community to lp during the pandemic, i signed the american rescue plan that

provided $350 billion to states and cities that they could use to keep communities safe, retain orpolice officers, pay overtime and bonuses, expand benefits for disabled first prevention strategies. places like detroit, toledo, kansas city, houston put more cops on the beat. it was one of the largest federavein public safety. i also signed the most sweeping gun safety law in nearly 30 years to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, while strengthening background checks for gun purchases cracking down on illegal gun sales, reining in ghost guns that are increasingly found at crime scenes. my safer america plan invests $37 billion in public safety to hire many more police officers trained in community policing, to build trust, to solve crimes faster. i'm grateful for the partnership of jim and the other law

enforcement officers that we worked together on my executive order on policing. my safer america plan also makes invests port programs that are proven to tackle the root causes of crime, to ensure olists and the social workers responding to crises alongside you. we also know that police officers deal with unbelievable stress. every time you respond to a call, execute a warrant, or a tremendous risk.stop, there's fear of ambush, anxiety of not knowing what's behind that door, the trauma of bearing witness to the most horrible tragedies imaginable. that's why our administration is lasecuou with the mental health and wellness resources you need and deserve. that's why i also signed extended benefits for families of officers who ic by suicide -- honoring capitol police officers likear liebengood, who defended the capitol on january 6, whose dad i knew well when he served as

sergeant at arms in the united states senate. we remember all our law enforcements who defend this car decracy on that terrible day.■z and congress should also pass the honoring fallen heroes act that extends benefits to first responders who are exposed to toxic substances and die of cancer. i know so many of you still carry the physical and invisible woundsvice we can never thank you enough for your courage, your service,. you risk your lives every day for the safety of the people you don't even know. that's why each of you, each and every one of you, is a hero. it's no accident that violent crime is near a record 50-year low -- a 50-year low. it's because of ao efforts by all of you in your communities, together with historic steps taken to support you -- to stop the flow of illegal guns, to hold gunfickerr crimes.

matrs a lot. ofater responsibility of government than ensuring the safety of the american people and those who sacrifice to protes we've made a lot of progress, but there's still much more to be done. to the families here today, my wife and i know how hard it is ntays, but i promise you the day will come again when the memory of your loved one your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. it may take a couple seasons, but and i hope you always remember one thing that is never fully lost -- your love for them and their love for you. god bless you all. may god protect law enforcement. and may god protect our troops. [applause]

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] announcer: earlier today federal officials testified on the ongoing investigation into the collapse of baltimore's francis scott key bridge which occurred in march of this year. watch the house transportation and infrastructure committee hearing eastern on c-span, c-span now, our free mobile video app, or online at c-span.org. >> they wrecked their countries and so now they want to come here and collect our welfare instead. >> most people come here to make a better life if not for them, then for their kids. my itaanres never spoke english. i never had a conversation with them. and yet they made america great. announcer: this