mr. chairman , i yield myself as much time as i may consume . 
mr. chairman , my amendment is very simple . 
it strikes the language from the bill that prevents the capitol police from continuing the horse mounted unit , and it strikes language that requires the current horse mounted unit to be transferred to the park police . 
this small yet valuable unit is irreplaceable in protecting the capitol grounds against potential threats . 
the benefits of mounted patrols are recognized worldwide by law enforcement communities . 
transferring the horse mounted unit to the park police is inadequate to meet the security needs of the capitol complex . 
in the past , the park police 's horse mounted unit has been unavailable when requested by the capitol police . 
additionally , with the capitol police 's mounted unit dismantled , in the event the park police were able to respond , all of that manure that they were talking about , there would be no one to clean it , no mechanism in place . 
the mounted unit is an important component of the capitol police 's force to protect the capitol grounds . 
i and chief gainer believe that the mounted unit is an inexpensive and effective resource in guarding the capitol against potential threats , as well as an important part of improving community relations . 
it is my understanding that the cost of maintaining this unit for fiscal year 2006 is somewhere around $ 155 , 000 to $ 160 , 000 . 
currently five horses are used by five mounted officers and two sergeants . 
the mounted unit provides greater mobility , increased visibility and an ability to view a larger area from a greater distance as compared to other officers . 
additionally the work of one mounted officer is akin to the work of 10 officers on foot . 
in these dangerous times with constant and changing threats against the united states capitol complex , the capitol police deserve all of the tools that they deem necessary at their disposal . 
the mounted unit has proven very successful over the last 6 months . 
it has assisted with three arrests , worked 33 demonstrations , issued more than 200 notices of infraction , responded to assists in 9 reports of suspicious packages , responded to 16 calls for crowd control assistance , and responded to 28 calls for assistance in traffic accident incidents . 
mr. chairman , i sincerely hope the capitol police 's mounted unit can continue , as it provides an invaluable and unmatched service at protecting our capitol grounds . 
mr. chairman , i reserve the balance of my time . 
