Floor SpeechNeutral2026-02-11

HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM

TaxesHousingCrime & JusticeVeterans

Context

On 2026-02-11, Representative David Kustoff (R-TN-8) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered housing, crime and justice.

Full Text

HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)] [House] [Page H2178] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Kustoff of Tennessee was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.) General Leave Mr. KUSTOFF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Tennessee? There was no objection. Mr. KUSTOFF. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to honor Derrick Bonham of the Weakley County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office, who was tragically killed in the line of duty. On January 30, just after 3 a.m., Deputy Bonham responded to a shots- fired call in Martin, Tennessee. This is nothing new. Derrick Bonham had always answered these calls without hesitation and whenever he was needed. When Deputy Bonham arrived on the scene to assess the situation, he was violently ambushed and fatally wounded. Indeed, Derrick Bonham's death has been felt across Weakley County and across West Tennessee, in fact, the entire State of Tennessee. In the days that followed, thousands lined the streets in a sea of blue to honor his sacrifice. Law enforcement officers from across the region stood alongside families and neighbors in West Tennessee to show their respect and support for a brave man and a brave family. That tribute reflected the trust that Derrick Bonham earned and also the impact that he had among his law enforcement comrades. After the shooting, Mr. Speaker, I spoke with Weakley County Sheriff, Terry McDade. Sheriff McDade told me Deputy Bonham--and I am going to read this exactly the way he told me: ``Deputy Bonham was the guy that all sheriffs want to hire. He was a good, even-keeled law enforcement officer who lived his life in a Godly way.'' Mr. Speaker, Derrick Bonham lived a life defined by devotion to service. He took pride in his work and in what it meant to wear that uniform. We all know that law enforcement in our Nation is a dangerous profession. Every time an officer reports for duty, they put their lives on the line for all of us. We are deeply grateful for the men and women in law enforcement who put that uniform on each and every day to serve their neighbors, often without recognition. Deputy Bonham was a loving husband to his wife, Nicole; and a devoted father to three children: Harper, Hayden, and Hudson. He was an Army veteran who served our Nation and later became a deputy who served his country and his neighbors. Indeed, Derrick Bonham understood that public service is a calling, one that demands courage and a willingness to put others first. Roberta and I continue to keep the Bonham family and the Weakley County Sheriff's Office in our prayers. Deputy Derrick Bonham's legacy will live on through the lives that he touched, the men and women with whom he worked, and the example that he set for the Weakley County community. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________

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HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)] [House] [Page H2178] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING DEPUTY SHERIFF DERRICK BONHAM (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Mr. Kustoff of Tennessee was recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.) General Leave Mr. KUSTOFF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Tennessee? There was no objection. Mr. KUSTOFF. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to honor Derrick Bonham of the Weakley County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office, who was tragically killed in the line of duty. On January 30, just after 3 a.m., Deputy Bonham responded to a shots- fired call in Martin, Tennessee. This is nothing new. Derrick Bonham had always answered these calls without hesitation and whenever he was needed. When Deputy Bonham arrived on the scene to assess the situation, he was violently ambushed and fatally wounded. Indeed, Derrick Bonham's death has been felt across Weakley County and across West Tennessee, in fact, the entire State of Tennessee. In the days that followed, thousands lined the streets in a sea of blue to honor his sacrifice. Law enforcement officers from across the region stood alongside families and neighbors in West Tennessee to show their respect and support for a brave man and a brave family. That tribute reflected the trust that Derrick Bonham earned and also the impact that he had among his law enforcement comrades. After the shooting, Mr. Speaker, I spoke with Weakley County Sheriff, Terry McDade. Sheriff McDade told me Deputy Bonham--and I am going to read this exactly the way he told me: ``Deputy Bonham was the guy that all sheriffs want to hire. He was a good, even-keeled law enforcement officer who lived his life in a Godly way.'' Mr. Speaker, Derrick Bonham lived a life defined by devotion to service. He took pride in his work and in what it meant to wear that uniform. We all know that law enforcement in our Nation is a dangerous profession. Every time an officer reports for duty, they put their lives on the line for all of us. We are deeply grateful for the men and women in law enforcement who put that uniform on each and every day to serve their neighbors, often without recognition. Deputy Bonham was a loving husband to his wife, Nicole; and a devoted father to three children: Harper, Hayden, and Hudson. He was an Army veteran who served our Nation and later became a deputy who served his country and his neighbors. Indeed, Derrick Bonham understood that public service is a calling, one that demands courage and a willingness to put others first. Roberta and I continue to keep the Bonham family and the Weakley County Sheriff's Office in our prayers. Deputy Derrick Bonham's legacy will live on through the lives that he touched, the men and women with whom he worked, and the example that he set for the Weakley County community. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________