Date: 2016-05-23
Speaker: DAVID SCOTT (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Georgia

Mr. Speaker. first of all. let me thank Chairman JASON CHAFFETZ. chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. for helping me. for working with me. and for taking time with me in getting this bill through the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and here on the House floor for a vote before we break for the Memorial Day holiday observance. Chairman CHAFFETZ and I had a wonderful conversation. and we both agreed that we wanted to get this bill out before the Memorial Day observance because this bill represents a most appropriate way for us to begin the observance of Memorial Day. I thank Ranking Member ELIJAH CUMMINGS. I want to thank. also. the committee members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. I want to thank Majority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY and Speaker PAUL RYAN for their help in moving expeditiously with this bill. Mr. Speaker. I want to tell you that the idea for this bill came to me directly from the heart and the soul of the wonderful people of Riverdale. Georgia. who truly love and endear Major Barney. Riverdale. Georgia. is an extraordinary city with a rich history. It is led by Mayor Evelyn WynnDixon. Police Chief Todd Spivey. council members Cynthia StampsJones. AnCel Davis. Wanda Wallace. and Kenny Ruffin. As a matter of fact. Mr. Speaker. council members StampsJones and AnCel Davis stopped by my office in Jonesboro and presented this idea to me. I want to thank my chief of staff. Michael Andel. and my senior staffer here in Washington. William Burriss. for their tremendous work in helping. I also thank my district director. Chandra Harris. and deputy district director. Isaac DoDoo. for working with us in Georgia. Now I want to say the other important thing about this bill. This is truly a bipartisan bill. This bill honoring Major Barney is cosponsored by all 14 members of the Georgia congressional delegation. Democrats and Republicans. and by both of our United States Senators. JOHNNY ISAKSON and DAVID PERDUE. who will handle this in the Senate. I want to thank. as I look over and I see some of my Republican friends and colleagues on the floor. TOM PRICE. LYNN WESTMORELAND. and JODY HICE for joining us here for this important bill. Now. Mr. Speaker. why we are here? On February 11. 2016. Major Gregory E. Barney. who also. notably. was the very first African American interim police chief in the history of Riverdale. Georgia. was fatally shot in the line of duty while he was serving a warrant for the arrest of a drug dealer. the dregs of our community right now. Major Barney stepped up and responded. He was working with a detail of the Clayton County Police. their narcotics unit and their SWAT team. and they were there to put forward this warrant for this arrest. and the drug dealer shot Mr. Barney. Now. the day of this tragic death. also. Mr. Speaker. the llth of February. there was something else significant. It also marked the anniversary of his 25year career. Major Barney was shot on the 25th anniversary of his 25 years of service to the Clayton County and Riverdale police forces. So I know. with a heavy heart and deep condolences. that each of us in this United States Congress takes this moment to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Major Barney: his lovely wife. Lisa. and his two sons. Gregory and Robert. Mr. Speaker. these were twin boys who have lost their father. It is most fitting. also. Mr. Speaker. that the post office that we are naming for Major Barney is located directly across the street from the Riverdale Police Department headquarters now. Mr. Speaker. it is also within the view of the apartment complex where the drug raid took place where Major Barney lost his life. Mr. Speaker. Major Barney became the first police officer in Riverdale. Georgia. to be slain in the line of duty. Mr. Speaker. as we are here and we look forward to that day when we name this post office. we hope that in some small way that. to the family. to his children. to the people of Riverdale. Georgia. and the people of this Nation. when they pass by this post office. they will be able to pass by with a sense of great pride. great respect. and great gratitude for Major Barney. who was truly a Georgia hero. Not only was Major Barney a Georgia hero. he was an American hero. For. as you and I and all of us here in Congress know. when we recognize Major Barney. we are recognizing so many of our brave men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to protect us in law enforcement and in the military. Mr. Speaker. Jesus Christ. just a few hours before he was crucified. said to his disciples: This is my commandment: that you love one another as I loved you. And then Jesus said: Greater love hath no man than this. that a man lay down his life for his friend. Mr. Speaker. such a man was Major Gregory E. Barney. I ask this House for a unanimous "yes" vote. God bless you.