Dallas County, Members Of Congress Create Fund To Help US Capitol Police
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas County along with North Texas members of Congress have created a fund to help support the U.S. Capitol Police Department following the Jan. 6 riot.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Marc Veasey and Colin Allred announced the North Texas Cares For U.S. Capitol Police Fund, which will go towards the department's memorial fund.
The Capitol police's memorial fund is overseen by the U.S. Treasury and helps provide financial support to families of Capitol officers killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.
A Capitol officer, Brian Sicknick, died from injuries sustained while responding to the Jan. 6 riot on the Capitol building, while another, Howard Liebengood, died by suicide days after the attack.
"The U.S. Capitol Police suffered a tremendous toll with the insurrection, storming, and attempted violent takeover of the U.S. Capitol by rioters intent on overthrowing an election and stopping the peaceful transfer of power," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "This North Texas fund will provide support to the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police and their families who have been affected by on-the-job injuries in their efforts to protect the United States Capitol and serve the United States of America."
"Without the sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police and other first responders, our Capitol, the symbol of our democracy, would certainly have fallen on January 6. My thoughts are with the families of those tragically lost in the line of duty as well as those injured during the attack," said congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. "It is my hope that this fund will provide not just financial support but also signal the gratitude of North Texans for their devoted service."
"Our brave Capitol police work on a daily basis to protect members, staff, essential employees and visitors when we come into our Capitol building each day," said congressman Marc Veasey. "January 6th was not any different — on that day the Capitol police lived up to their mission and put their lives on the line to ensure all of us were safe in the face of a violent attack. Today, I am proud to join Reps. Allred, Johnson and Judge Jenkins of North Texas to honor their bravery by launching this program that will help give those officers impacted by the January 6th attack and their families the help they need to get through this difficult time."
"On January 6th, U.S. Capitol Police officers put themselves at risk to defend our nation's Capitol and the democratic process taking place inside. I left the Capitol uninjured that night because of their bravery," said congressman Colin Allred. "My heart goes out to the families of Officers Sicknick and Liebengood and to all of the officers who sustained injuries as a result of the seditious attack. I am proud to join these North Texas leaders in forming this fund as a way to express our communities' gratitude to these officers and their families and am grateful to everyone who has already contributed."
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