Laken Riley Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the service and sacrifice of Greensboro Police Officer Michael Horan.

On Monday, December 23--2 days before Christmas--Officer Horan was the first officer to respond to a call of a man with a firearm at a Food Lion supermarket in Greensboro, NC. As Officer Horan entered the store and confronted the suspect, the suspect engaged in a struggle that eventually led to Officer Horan being shot and killed. The suspect fled the scene and led law enforcement on a multiple-county chase. The brave men and women from various law enforcement agencies eventually apprehended the suspect on Interstate 40.

Officer Horan personified the very best of law enforcement. Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson stated that Officer Horan was ``a valued and respected member of the Greensboro Police family.''

He worked for the Greensboro Police Department since 2017 and had a distinguished record of service with the U.S. Coast Guard. As a U.S. Coast Guard member, Officer Horan served as a law enforcement officer, tactical fast boat instructor, and search and rescue operator for the safety and security of the United States.

Even when he was off duty, he exemplified valor. In 2019, Officer Horan received a lifesaving award from the Greensboro Police Department for saving a father and son who had been caught in a rip current at a beach at Emerald Isle.

As impressive as Officer Horan was for his exemplary work, it was his job as a family man--a loving husband, father, and son.

One of his colleagues noted:

One of the main things most people would know about officer Horan, is how much he loved his family.

He loved his daughter. If you ask anybody in the department to describe him--

One friend said--

I feel like his daughter would be in the conversation.

He loved his family, and he included it in virtually every conversation he had with his colleagues.

He upheld the oath to protect and serve his community and his country. He exemplified what it means to be an extraordinary public servant, and he made the ultimate sacrifice.

My deepest condolences go out to Officer Horan's family for their tremendous loss, and my condolences go out to the community of Greensboro, which lost one of their finest, most decent public servants. We will never forget his service.

Mr. President, Officer Horan actually passed away a year ago last December. We were not in session at the time, so I thought it was appropriate to recognize the anniversary of his death, but I want to talk a little bit more.

(Mr. BUDD assumed the Chair.) Law Enforcement

Mr. President, since 2015, when I first took office as a U.S. Senator in my home State of North Carolina, we have tragically lost far too many law enforcement officers. In fact, we have lost 85 in the time that I have been a U.S. Senator, since 2015. This includes deaths related to law enforcement assaults, gunfire, vehicular pursuits, and duty-related illnesses.

These officers took an oath to protect and serve our communities. These heroes made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives to protect their communities. I will not get into all the details about each officer. What I would ask is unanimous consent to provide a list of the following officers since I have been a Member of the U.S. Senate to be printed in the Record.

Lossiah, Duty Related Illness, 2015; K9 Officer Timothy James Brackeen, Gunfire, 2016; Deputy Sheriff John Thomas Isenhour, Struck by Vehicle, 2016; Major Jay Russell Memmelaar, Jr., Heart Attack, 2017; Trooper Brandon Carroll Peterson, Heart Attack, 2017; Sergeant Meggan Lee Callahan, Assault, 2017; Correction Enterprises Manager Veronica Skinner Darden, Assault, 2017; Correctional Officer Justin James Smith, Assault, 2017; Correctional Officer Wendy Letitia Shannon, Assault, 2017; Deputy Sheriff Alexis Thunder Eagle Locklear, Automobile Crash, 2018; Deputy Sheriff David Lee'Sean Manning, Automobile Crash, 2018; Trooper Samuel Newton Bullard, Vehicle Pursuit, 2018; Senior Police Officer Christopher James Driver, Automobile Crash, 2018; Master Trooper Kevin Keith Conner, Gunfire, 2018; Corporal Travis Wells, Automobile Crash, 2018; Master Trooper Benjamin Derek Wallace, Heart Attack, 2018; Police Officer Jared William Franks, Automobile Crash, 2018; Police Officer Jason Barton Quick, Struck by Vehicle, 2018; K9 Officer Jordan Harris Sheldon, Gunfire, 2019; Deputy Sheriff Makeem Rictrell Brooks, Automobile Crash, 2019; Trooper Nolan James Sanders, Automobile Crash, 2020; Deputy Sheriff Sypraseuth ``Bud'' Phouangphrachanh, Covid19, 2020; Senior Detention Officer Alexander Reginald Pettiway, Jr., Covid19, 2020; Deputy Sheriff Ryan Phillip Hendrix, Gunfire, 2020; Correctional Officer II Allen Bruce Trivett, Covid19, 2020; Correctional Sergeant II Michael Robert Flagg, Covid19, 2020; Deputy Sheriff LaKiya Louise Rouse, Covid19, 2020; Correctional Officer III Charles Warren Harris, Jr., Covid19, 2020; Lieutenant Terry Sampson, Covid19, 2020; Correctional Officer III Thomas Daniel Roberts, Jr., Covid19, 2020; Correctional Officer Joseph Lloyd Greinke, Covid19, 2020; Correctional Sergeant III Christopher Eugene Sorrenti, Covid19, 2020; Deputy Sheriff Jared Michael Allison, Automobile Crash, 2020; Police Officer Tyler Avery Herndon, Gunfire, 2020; Master Corporal Norman Odie Daye, Jr., Covid19, 2020; Police Officer Jason Nicholas Shuping, Gunfire, 2020; Associate Warden III Julian Arsenio Priest, III, Covid19, 2020; First Sergeant Timothy Lee Howell, Covid19, 2021; Correctional Lieutenant III Anthony Lynn Hardie, Covid19, 2021; Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery, Covid19, 2021; Sergeant LaShonda Owens, Covid19, 2021; Deputy Sheriff Joseph Brandon Gore, Covid19, 2021; Police Officer David Dewayne Parde, Gunfire, 2021; Deputy Sheriff Logan Shane Fox, Gunfire, 2021; Sergeant Christopher David Ward, Gunfire, 2021; Officer Robert Craig Cloninger, Heart Attack, 2021; Deputy Sheriff Dennis Wayne Dixon, Covid19, 2021; Deputy Sheriff Eric Otis Ritter, Covid19, 2021; Correctional Sergeant III Ledell Graham, Covid19, 2021; Probation/Parole Officer II Julie Ann Harper, Covid19, 2021; Police Officer Carl Lee Proper, Covid19, 2021; Captain David Edwin MacAlpine, Covid19, 2021; Police Chief Donald Hall, Covid19, 2021; Sergeant Donald William Ramey, Covid19, 2021; Lieutenant Matthew Eric Dow, Covid19, 2021; Police Officer Julio Cesar Herrera, Jr., Covid19, 2021; Master Deputy William Edward Marsh, Covid19, 2021; Lieutenant William Oscar McMurtray, III, Covid19, 2021; Correctional Lieutenant II Dennis Eugene Boykin, Covid19, 2021; Police Officer Ryan Andrew Hayworth, Vehicular Assault, 2021; Sergeant Michael Shannon McDonald, Covid19, 2021; Police Officer Mia Danielle Figueroa-Goodwin, Automobile Crash, 2021; Trooper John Sumter Horton, Struck by Vehicle, 2022; Captain Reginald Kamal Smith, Covid19, 2022; Correctional Officer III Helen Mae Smith, Heart Attack, 2022; Detective Michael W. Godwin, Covid19, 2022; Sergeant Matthew Ryan Fishman, Gunfire, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Ned P. Byrd, Gunfire, 2022; Detention Corporal Gregory Thomas Horne, Sr., Duty Related Illness, 2022; Police Officer Gabriel Jesus Torres, Gunfire, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Jose Angel DeLeon, Automobile Crash, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Oscar Yovani Bolanos-Anavisca, Jr., Vehicular Assault, 2022; Deputy Sheriff II Auston Smith Reudelhuber, Automobile Crash, 2023; Sergeant Russell Earl Lavarl Jones, Heart Attack, 2023; Sergeant Philip Dale Nix, Gunfire, 2023; Deputy Sheriff Christopher Johnson, Automobile Crash, 2024; Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks, Gunfire, 2024; Investigator William ``Alden'' Elliott, Gunfire, 2024; Investigator Samuel Poloche, Gunfire, 2024; Police Officer Joshua Eyer, Gunfire, 2024; Major Michelle Lynn Quintero, Weather/Natural Disaster, 2024; Courthouse Security Deputy James ``Jim'' Lau, Weather/Natural Disaster, 2024; Police Officer Michael Horan, Gunfire, 2024; Master Trooper Anthony S. Godwin, Medical Condition, 2024.

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Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, as we start the 119th Congress, my colleague from North Carolina, who is currently presiding--I think we both agree that we want to emphasize that Congress has a role in supporting and protecting our law enforcement officers across this country.

According to the National Fraternal Order of Police, in 2024, 342 officers were shot in the line of duty. Of those officers, 50 officers were tragically killed by criminals.

Unfortunately, over the past few years, we have seen shameful behavior from certain--and I hope and I pray that it is a minority of our society, but we have people out there raising money for fundraising runs called the 13.12-mile run. Mr. President, ``1312'' translates into ``ACAB,'' and on their website, they proudly proclaim that ``ACAB'' stands for ``All Cops Are Bastards.'' Let that sink in.

It is appalling to hear this kind of rhetoric, and it has to stop. These dangerous statements not only create distrust and disdain for our brave men and women in blue--the vast majority of whom are good, hard- working people that we all know in our communities--but it has made their job to protect and serve more difficult and more deadly.

We have to do better. We have to protect law enforcement. That is why I plan to reintroduce multiple pieces of legislation in the coming weeks.

First among them is going to be the Protect and Serve Act. It makes it a Federal crime for anyone who knowingly causes or attempts to cause bodily harm or injury to a law enforcement officer. It is amazing it is not a crime already. I hope to do so with strong bipartisan support when I file the bill and get it passed in this Congress.

We also must act to punish criminals who intentionally murder law enforcement. That is why I will also be introducing the Justice for Fallen Law Enforcement Act. This legislation would create a criminal penalty for the murder of a local, State, or Federal law enforcement officer, punishable with the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.

I urge all Americans listening to contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them that you want to protect law enforcement officers and support enhancing penalties for those who would do them harm.

The men and women in blue are heroes. They deserve our support. We need everyone in our communities to stand up to these people who would not want them in the community, who would not want them to respond to a 9-1-1 call. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine our communities if the logical conclusion of these people, who hate law enforcement officers so much that they proudly profess that all cops are bastards, publicly to raise money?

We need to increase awareness, and we need to make absolutely certain that every man and woman in blue knows we have their back.

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