- Record: Extensions of Remarks
- Section type: Recognition
- Chamber: House
- Date: May 12, 2026
- Congress: 119th Congress
- Why this source matters: Extensions of Remarks are statements submitted for the official record, even if they were not spoken live on the floor.
HON. AARON BEAN
of florida
in the house of representatives
Mr. BEAN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the fallen officers of Clay County.
- me. It is the moment when the names are read. No applause. No music.
- Just a voice, speaking each name slowly into the quiet.
In that moment, something powerful happens. Those names stop being lines on a page and return to us as lives once lived—fathers and daughters, partners and friends. Men and women who once pinned on a badge, stepped into the unknown, and chose service over self. I include in the Record, twelve of those names from Clay County, Florida:
Sheriff Josephus A. Peeler; Sheriff Charles M. Wilson;
Sheriff Theodore S. Cherry; Sergeant Richard Watkins;
Auxiliary Deputy Arthur Caton; Deputy Wilson Walker; Sergeant
Eddie Hayes; Detective David A. White; Deputy Ben Zirbel;
Sergeant Eric Twisdale; Deputy Clint Seagle; and Chief Derek
Asdot.
integrity, and a deep sense of duty. Each answered the same call that law enforcement officers across America answer every day—a call to stand between danger and the community they serve. They knew the risks of the badge, and they accepted them anyway.
Behind every one of these names is a story of service. Long shifts. Missed holidays. Quiet acts of courage that most people never see—a commitment to protect their neighbors and uphold the law even when it demanded the ultimate sacrifice. Their legacy continues today through the deputies and officers who still serve Clay County with honor.
these heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty. Their families, fellow officers, and community stood together to ensure that their service is never forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, a grateful Nation remembers. Their watch has ended, but their example lives on, and in Clay County, Florida, their names will always be called.