Washington, D.C. – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) tonight took to the House floor to pay tribute to the lives of Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Dom Calata and Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha, who were both tragically shot and killed in the line of duty last month. 
In her speech, Cathy honored them for making the ultimate sacrifice and called for more resources to support police departments working overtime to keep communities in Eastern Washington safe. Click here or below to watch Cathy’s remarks on the House floor.

Her remarks as prepared for delivery:
Madam Speaker, I rise today with a broken heart to honor the lives of two of Washington state’s finest – Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Dom Calata and Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha, both tragically shot and killed in the line of duty protecting and serving the communities they called home.

For years, these two men put on their uniform each day, hugged their kids and kissed their wives, and went to work to keep us safe – not knowing if they would ever walk back through that door at the end of the night.

Deputy Calata and Officer Rocha made the ultimate sacrifice, and my heart breaks for their grieving families and the families of the other 685 officers killed in the line of duty since 2021.

Madam Speaker, we must do better. This is America. We cannot allow these assaults on our law enforcement to continue. We need to FUND the police and give them the resources they need to keep us safe and make sure they make it home safe at the end of the day.

Look at what’s going on in our country today: a surge in violent crime, heartbreaking drug abuse, violence in our schools, homelessness. Law enforcement is fighting an uphill battle and they need our support. Now more than ever, we need to let them do their jobs if we want to address these problems.
Sadly, anti-police rhetoric has infected the hearts and minds of many in this country who believe police officers are the enemy. But they’re not. They are heroes.

Dom Calata was a hero. Dan Rocha was a hero. Each and every selfless man and woman in blue who gave their last breath in service to their community was a hero.

And today their families are without them. We must never forget their sacrifice and always back the blue.
I ask my colleagues to join me as Americans to recognize the fallen and remember them for what they were – heroes.

My heart goes out to all those grieving this tragic loss, and I pray that God keeps watch over all those still serving.

Thank you. I yield back.

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