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THE CAPITOL DOME 52 A s the Hon. Leon Panetta finished his keynote address, the Hon. Ron Sarasin, president of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society found that "Wow!" was the only word that expressed the feeling of the captivated audience gathered on July 23 to honor the rich history of the House Armed Services Committee. e evening began with a reception where members of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society's Capitol Committee greeted Members of Congress, Committee staff, and distinguished guests over passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks. e call to dinner was followed by the Presentation of the Colors by the U.S. Capitol Police Ceremonial Unit. Sarasin welcomed the nearly 150 guests and led them in a toast to the Committee. As those gathered enjoyed dessert, the speakers were introduced to stand - ing ovations. Current Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (CA) emphasized the crucial role of the Committee staff and spoke about the dedicated combat veterans who also served as staff members. Ranking Member Adam Smith (WA) highlighted the vast responsibilities of the Committee and the importance of working together. e Hon. Leon Panetta, former CIA Director and Sec - retary of Defense, was welcomed by the Hon. Tom Coleman, Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. Secretary Panetta spoke about the critical issues facing our country and our leaders. e event was generously supported by Bank of America, The Boeing Company, Express Scripts, General Dynamics, Hewlett-Packard, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. DINNER HONORS HISTORY OF HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE e Hon. Leon Panetta delivers the keynote address. A group of House Armed Services Committee staff gather to celebrate their accomplishments. Ranking Member Adam Smith discusses the responsibilities of the Committee. AL L T HE SE PAGE S: K AT IE GARLOCK/PORT R AT IONS Chairman Buck McKeon acknowledges the hard work of the Committee staff.