117th CONGRESS 2d Session |
Recognizing the essential work of United States Capitol personnel on the anniversary of the insurrectionist attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
January 13 (legislative day, January 10), 2022
Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Casey, Mr. Booker, Mr. Reed, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Luján, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Coons, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. King, Ms. Warren, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Ossoff, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Smith, Mr. Warner, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Carper, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Stabenow, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Tester, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hassan, and Mr. Manchin) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
Recognizing the essential work of United States Capitol personnel on the anniversary of the insurrectionist attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Whereas Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well…No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance.”;
Whereas the United States Capitol (referred to in this preamble as the “Capitol”) is the people’s house;
Whereas January 6, 2022, is the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrectionist attack on the Capitol during a joint session of Congress to receive the votes of the electoral college;
Whereas, on January 6, 2021, violent insurrectionists, carrying Confederate flags and symbols, ransacked the Capitol, and Capitol custodial, janitorial, and maintenance staff—the majority of whom are African American, Latino, or other people of color—were there to pick up the pieces and deserve eternal gratitude for their work;
Whereas, on March 1, 2021, the Senior Senator from Minnesota introduced a resolution recognizing Capitol personnel and members of the press corps and honoring the incredible and diligent work done by Capitol personnel to care for and repair the Capitol in the wake of the January 6 attack;
Whereas, in the days following the January 6 attack, the Senate rightly recognized Eugene Goodman and the many officers of the United States Capitol Police who deserve the deep gratitude of the United States for putting their lives on the line to protect the Capitol and the democratic process of the United States;
Whereas Capitol custodial, janitorial, and maintenance staff deserve the distinct honor and gratitude of the United States, as they also put their lives on the line serving the republic on January 6, 2021, and over the past year, during the COVID–19 pandemic;
Whereas Capitol custodial, janitorial, and maintenance staff and other essential workers, including Restaurant Associates and Sodexo staff, come to work each day and do their jobs with skill, dedication, and dignity;
Whereas the work of such staff is too often overlooked, but remains essential to the functioning of the Government;
Whereas Capitol personnel of all races and creeds who have shown up for work during the pandemic, while many individuals in the Capitol have not taken COVID–19 seriously, deserve proper equipment and safe working conditions ;
Whereas Capitol custodial, janitorial, and maintenance staff were at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, doing their jobs when violent insurrectionists stormed the building, barging into the Senate Chamber;
Whereas the largely African American and Latino custodial staff and other custodial staff of color were left to restore dignity and respect to the Capitol, the Office of the Senate Parliamentarian, and many other rooms and hallways throughout the Capitol;
Whereas the work of the Capitol custodial staff allowed Members of the Senate to return to the Senate Chamber on January 6, 2021, to continue to certify the electoral votes and secure the democracy of the United States;
Whereas many individuals in the United States were so moved by the actions of the Capitol custodial staff on January 6, 2021, that such individuals wrote thank you notes to the staff in the days following the attack;
Whereas the actions of the Capitol custodial, janitorial, and maintenance staff on the night of the January 6, 2021, attack and in the days and weeks following are the epitome of service, love of country, and the dignity of work; and
Whereas many Capitol personnel are represented by Local Numbers 626, 658, 2910, and 2477 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 23 of UNITE HERE, and the United States Capitol Police Labor Committee which advocate for members in the workplace: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
(1) recognizes the strength and commitment of the personnel of the United States Capitol who bring skill and dedication to their work every day and who worked through the night on January 6, 2021, and in the days following to restore dignity to the United States Capitol and to ensure the democracy of the United States continues to function;
(2) expresses gratitude for the personnel of the United States Capitol and the United States Capitol Police for their bravery and service to the United States; and
(3) reaffirms its dedication to strengthening the rights of the personnel of the United States Capitol and the United States Capitol Police and to providing support and resources to ensure their health, well-being, safety, and protection from further attacks, including higher pay, collective bargaining rights, paid sick and vacation leave, and comprehensive health insurance with mental health resources.