[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 60 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS

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                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 16, 2008

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, 1 year ago today, 32 students 
and faculty at Virginia Tech lost their lives when a deranged gunman, 
Seung-Hui Cho, opened fire on campus, indiscriminately killing and 
maiming everyone in his path. One of the most deadly school shootings 
in American history, the tragedy stunned the Nation and shook the 
school to its core. I cannot imagine how the parents and families of 
the victims dealt with the heartbreaking news that their loved ones, 
who they thought were in a safe learning environment, had become the 
victims of gun violence. On this one year anniversary, my thoughts and 
prayers go out to the victims, their families, and the entire Virginia 
Tech community as they continue to cope with the aftermath of that 
tragic day.
  But it is also important to honor the courage displayed by the entire 
Virginia Tech community during the days and weeks following the 
shooting. Students, faculty, parents, alumni, and Blacksburg residents 
all came together to help each other cope with the physical and 
psychological damage of the shooting. The resolve demonstrated by the 
Hokie community was one of the most poignant acts of solidarity that I 
have ever witnessed.
  Shortly after the tragedy, many of those affected chose to 
participate in initiatives to fix the laws that facilitated the 
perpetration of this crime. First among them was the deficient manner 
in which mental health records were added to the national background 
check system. Given his mental health history, had Seung-Hui Cho's 
information been handled properly he would have been prevented from 
purchasing the weapons used in the shooting. Responding to pressure 
from these citizen advocates, Congress passed the NICS Improvements 
Act, a law providing funding to States to insure that mental health 
records are added efficiently to the national background check system.
  This week, I had the pleasure of meeting yesterday with a survivor of 
the Virginia Tech massacre. Her name is Lily Habtu. Lily was shot in 
the jaw and arm during the violent melee. She described how the events 
of that day have forever changed her life. That trauma could have left 
Lily a shell of her former self, afraid to face a world that no longer 
made sense. Instead, Lily has become an activist, joining 
the Alexandria, VA-based organization called ProtestEasyGuns.com to 
stand up against the gun lobby so that others might never experience 
the pain she was forced to bear one year ago today. Right now, she is 
participating in a demonstration outside the Supreme Court, calling for 
commonsense legislation to close loopholes that make the purchase and 
possession of illegal firearms and the violence they perpetrate 
prevalent in our society.

  I am given strength by people like Lily. Rather than retreat from the 
world, they have channeled their experiences into a positive, fighting 
to prevent future acts of violence. But the sad fact is that not enough 
elected officials are willing to take a strong stand on gun safety 
issues.
  The problem is not confusion over what laws need to be implemented. 
Requiring universal background checks, closing the gun show loophole, 
preventing terror suspects from purchasing firearms, tightening laws 
against straw purchases, and banning weapons like the .50 caliber 
sniper rifle and the rapid-fire assault rifle are all positive steps 
that would reduce violent crime yet do not restrict the lawful 
ownership of firearms. The lack of action on these measures is not due 
to uncertainty over policy, but rather a lack of political courage.
  We will never forget the lives cut short on April 16, 2007, and the 
families and friends of the victims who continue to suffer today. But 
our sympathy for these victims is hollow unless it is matched with a 
determination to prevent gun violence. It is imperative Congress honor 
the memory of the Virginia Tech victims. As a body, we need to stand up 
before another tragedy occurs, by passing strong, responsible gun 
safety regulations.

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