[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 58 (Monday, April 14, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2228-H2230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING SYMPATHY TO VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF COLORADO SHOOTINGS

  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 886) expressing sympathy to the victims and 
families of the tragic acts of violence in Colorado Springs, Colorado 
and Arvada, Colorado, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 886

       Whereas on Sunday, December 9, 2007, a man entered the New 
     Life Church property with the intent to cause harm to members 
     and guests of the church;
       Whereas the attacker shot 5 bystanders at the New Life 
     Church, killing 2 of them and injuring 3 others;
       Whereas the shooting resulted in the tragic loss of 
     Stephanie Works, 18, and Rachel Works, 16, who lost their 
     lives from wounds sustained from shots fired by the attacker;
       Whereas the attacker wounded David Works, who was still 
     hospitalized days after the shootings, Judy Purcell, and 
     Larry Bourbannais;
       Whereas Jeanne Assam, a volunteer private security guard, 
     heroically rushed into harm's way and used her own gun to 
     stop the shooter, thereby saving the lives of several other 
     bystanders;
       Whereas the quick response of private security, the El Paso 
     County Sheriff's Office, the Colorado Springs Police 
     Department, the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the 
     Colorado Springs SWAT Team, Federal authorities, and medical 
     professionals limited the danger to the church and local 
     community;
       Whereas this event occurred only hours after another tragic 
     and fatal shooting, which occurred at the Youth With A 
     Mission facility, located in Arvada, Colorado;
       Whereas the shooting at Youth With A Mission resulted in 
     the death of Tiffany Johnson, 26, and Philip Crouse, 24;
       Whereas the attacker seriously wounded Dan Griebenow and 
     Charlie Blanch; and
       Whereas local first responders in the City of Arvada and in 
     Jefferson County, Colorado, responded quickly and 
     professionally, thereby saving wounded individuals: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) offers its heartfelt condolences to the victims and 
     families of the tragic acts of violence in Colorado Springs, 
     Colorado, and Arvada, Colorado; and
       (2) conveys its gratitude to Jeanne Assam, city and county 
     officials, as well as the police, fire, sheriff, Federal 
     authorities, and emergency medical teams whose quick response 
     saved lives.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Ellsworth) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in the consideration 
of H. Res. 886, as amended, which expresses sympathy to the victims and 
families of the tragic acts of violence in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 
and Arvada, Colorado.
  House Resolution 886 was introduced by Representative Doug Lamborn 
from the State of Colorado on December 18,

[[Page H2229]]

2007, and has the support and cosponsorship of over 50 Members of 
Congress.
  The measure was considered by the Oversight panel on March 13, 2008, 
and was passed by voice vote after having been amended for technical 
purposes.
  It was only a few short months ago when our country was riveted by 
the violent rampage of one individual that left five people seriously 
wounded while killing four others. It was a solemn Sunday in December, 
December 9, to be exact, when the lives of Judy Purcell, Larry 
Bourbannais, Tiffany Johnson, Philip Crouse, Dan Griebenow, Charlie 
Blanch and Stephanie, David, and Rachel Works would be forever changed 
by a series of tragic events that gripped central Colorado but touched 
our entire country.
  Many of the persons impacted by the shooting rampage of a disturbed 
man were young people who had already chosen honorable and noble paths 
of service and faith. In remembering that dreadful day, I must also 
mention the heroic actions of Jeanne Assam, a volunteer security guard, 
whose swift response led to the wounding and killing of the assailant. 
We thank her for her dutiful service that helped prevent an already 
disastrous event from escalating further.
  Passage of this measure will allow our body an opportunity to 
officially express our heartfelt condolences, prayers and sympathies to 
the families and victims of the tragic acts of violence that took place 
in Colorado Springs and Arvada, Colorado, last year.
  Therefore I urge adoption of House Resolution 886, as amended, and 
reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1415

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today to urge passage of this resolution recognizing the 
tragedy that befell the communities of Colorado Springs and Arvada, 
Colorado.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution seeks to take a moment to reflect on the 
impact one man's senseless acts of violence can have on a community, a 
State and a Nation. On an early Sunday morning, a man entered the New 
Life Church and proceeded to open fire. Tragically, the lives of 
Tiffany Johnson and Philip Crouse were taken. They were both staff 
members of the Youth With A Mission Center, which educates individuals 
to be evangelical missionaries overseas. Two other staff members were 
seriously injured as well, Dan Griebenow and Charlie Blanch.
  This a place of peace where dedicated young men and women are 
educated to be Christian missionaries. What happened there on that cold 
Sunday morning was a true travesty for those victims and the community 
that surrounds them.
  Later that afternoon at approximately 1 p.m., the same individual who 
opened fire at the Youth With A Mission facility entered the grounds of 
the New Life Christian Church and fatally shot two teenagers, Stephanie 
and Rachel Works. The shooter also shot and seriously injured their 
father, David Works, in the parking lot before he proceeded into the 
church. Two others, Judy Purcell and Larry Bourbannais, were also 
injured that day. Fortunately for the communities of Colorado Springs 
and Arvada, Jeanne Assam, a volunteer private security guard, performed 
heroically that afternoon and engaged the shooter when he entered the 
church's east entrance.
  Jeanne Assam was a former Minneapolis police officer and was licensed 
to carry a firearm. She used her education and performed admirably to 
protect not only those inside the church, but those in the surrounding 
area as well. She was able to slow the gunman down, which ultimately 
led to the gunman taking his own life.
  One shudders to think of the terror that could have ensued had the 
shooter been able to continue unabated. The shooter was later 
identified as 24-year-old Matthew Murray. There is only one word that 
can describe the acts of Jeanne Assam on that day--heroic.
  The quick response by the security team at New Life Christian Church, 
who quickly moved to step up security after hearing the news of the 
initial shooting in Arvada also deserves praise. In addition, we must 
take a moment to thank the first responders on that day. The El Paso 
County Sheriff's Office, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the 
Colorado Springs Fire Department, the Colorado Springs SWAT team, 
Federal authorities, and medical professionals all played a role in 
quelling what could have been an even larger massacre.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in support of this 
important remembrance.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and 
also the gentlewoman for her kind remarks concerning this day of 
tragedy in Colorado. We have had a couple of those, Columbine, 9 years 
ago this week, as well as this tragedy that occurred on December 9.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness and regret that I rise today to 
honor and pay tribute to the victims and families of the tragic acts of 
violence that occurred on December 9 at the New Life Church in Colorado 
Springs and on the Faith Bible Chapel campus in Arvada, Colorado, with 
this resolution.
  The senseless acts of violence partially took place in my district at 
the Youth With A Mission, YWAM, in the heart of Jefferson County in a 
community still reeling from the tragic events of Columbine several 
years ago.
  The Faith Bible Chapel campus is about a block from where my father-
in-law lives. It is a place I drive by almost every weekend when I am 
home. And it is a place in the late hours of December 8 and the early 
hours of December 9, a reverse 911 call had to go out to the entire 
neighborhood to advise them of the killings that had gone on so nearby.
  All four young men and women lost their lives before the psychotic 
young gunman turned the gun on himself. This resolution seeks to honor 
the memory of these individuals: Tiffany Johnson, who was 26 years old; 
Philip Crouse, 24; Stephanie Works and Rachel Works who I believe were 
nieces of a friend of mine, John Works, who was a candidate several 
years ago for the 7th Congressional District of Colorado, which is the 
seat that I now hold.
  This bill also seeks to recognize the survivors and the families 
victimized, and in particular, Dan Griebenow, Charlie Blanch, David 
Works, Judy Purcell, and Larry Bourbannais who were wounded during this 
senseless day of killing.
  It is important to note that this resolution commends the heroism of 
the local first responders and law enforcement officials in the city of 
Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado Springs, and El Paso County who 
responded quickly and professionally.
  Especially, Jeanne Assam, a volunteer private security guard, who 
courageously rushed into harm's way and used her own gun to stop the 
shooter, thereby saving the lives of several other bystanders.
  We will never know what was going through the mind of Matthew Murray, 
the young man who killed these people and wounded several more. We 
don't know what possessed his mind to take these senseless acts, but we 
do know that the people who were killed here in this particular 
incident and the people who were wounded will always stay in our memory 
and will be honored by this resolution.
  Our Nation can never adequately come to grips with senseless 
tragedies like these. Whether it is some kind of care for the 
perpetrator in this instance from his psychosis, or whether it is 
additional protections that we might give to our churches and our 
schools, there are many things that we can do, but it is just a shame 
that sometimes, we can't understand the demons that possess people and 
cause them to come up with acts of psychotic violence like we have seen 
here.
  It is my hope that this bill sends a message to the victims of these 
tragic events that they will continue to remain in the thoughts of our 
Nation, and they will never be forgotten for the events that occurred 
on December 9. This bill represents one small step in the process of 
healing for our communities affected by this tragedy.
  In closing, I wish to thank each of my colleagues in the Colorado 
delegation, and especially Representative Doug Lamborn, who represents 
the city of Colorado Springs. I want to thank each of the 51 co-
sponsors who join me today in expressing sympathy

[[Page H2230]]

to the victims and families of the heartbreaking acts of violence in 
Colorado Springs and Arvada, Colorado, with this resolution, H. Res. 
886. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H. Res. 886.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate those who lost 
their lives in tragic actV violence last year in Colorado Springs, 
Colorado, and Arvada, Colorado. I truly appreciate the support and 
friendship from the Colorado delegation in supporting this resolution 
and offering our most sincere condolences to the victims and their 
families.
  On December 9, 2007, a young man targeted two Christian organizations 
that resulted in the death of four young people, in addition to the 
shooter. Our hearts go out to the family of Stephanie Works, 18, and 
Rachel Works, 16, whose lives were tragically ended while at the New 
Life Church in Colorado Springs. Further loss of life was prevented by 
the heroic acts of Jeanne Assam, an armed volunteer security guard, 
whose heroic actions stopped the shooter from inflicting more 
devastation. Hours earlier another fatal shooting occurred at a Youth 
with a Mission Facility in Arvada, Colorado that resulted in the tragic 
loss of Tiffany Johnson, 26, and Philip Crouse, 24.
  The personal devastation inflicted on the families of these victims 
is unimaginable and has impacted our entire community. We offer this 
resolution to honor the memory of those who were lost, offer our 
condolences to the affected families, and recognize the courageous 
actions of Jeanne Assam in preventing this tragedy from harming more 
Coloradans. Our hearts go out to the families who still daily suffer 
from the atrocious attacks and we humbly offer our sympathy.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 886, ``Expressing sympathy to the victims and families of 
the tragic acts of violence in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Arvada, 
Colorado.''
  This important legislation will honor and memorialize those who were 
affected by the tragic events in Colorado Springs and Arvada. On that 
fateful day, a gunman took the lives of five people and wounded 5 more, 
subsequently taking his own life.
  The shootings at New Life Church in Colorado Springs and the Youth 
With a Mission Center in Arvada on December 9, 2007, remind us once 
again that the wrath of violence can easily destroy the lives of a 
congregation gathered in a sanctified establishment. As we reflect on 
the lives that were spared, we duly note the actions of Jeanne Assam. 
Jeanne Assam, a former police officer and New Life Church member and 
security guard, is credited with halting the gunman's spree by shooting 
him. Though her gunfire did not kill the perpetrator, her act of 
courage and conviction allowed her to halt the gunman's spree, 
subsequently preventing the death of more people.
  The carnage at the Colorado tragedy commands that we here in this 
body take a stand against senseless acts of violence whether here in 
our own country or elsewhere around the world. It is long past time for 
our national community to declare that injuries inflicted on any member 
of the community by another simply based on hate or hatred of 
differences pose a threat to the peace and security of the entire 
community. For that reason alone, such conduct must be condemned and 
punished severely, if not prevented altogether. I hope that the 
incident in Colorado does not reflect a larger problem within our 
society; however, my optimism is guarded with the reality of an 
escalating amount of gun violence in schools, malls, and churches.

  Neither the mind nor the heart can contemplate a cause that could 
lead a human being to inflict such injury and destruction on fellow 
human beings. We can never completely understand why these things 
happen; however, we must persevere through the melancholy. The loss of 
those lives and innocence is a tragedy which all Americans mourn. In 
the face of such overwhelming grief, I hope the families and friends of 
those affected can take comfort in the certain knowledge that unearned 
suffering is redemptive. My deepest sympathies are with the victims, 
their families, and everyone who is affected by this tragic situation. 
This devastation reaffirms why we, as public officials, must take steps 
to ensure that the United States is a safer environment where acts of 
violence based on hate are not tolerated. We cannot sufficiently 
articulate the feelings of sorrow that are universally felt. I extend 
my prayers and support to the bereaved families during this time of 
mourning.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important 
legislation, and, in-so-doing, showing respect for the lives that were 
lost, sacrificed, and spared.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Ellsworth) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 886, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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