[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 28, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4848-H4850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING SYMPATHY FOR SHOOTING VICTIMS IN BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 340), expressing sympathy to the victims, families, 
and friends of the tragic act of violence at the American Civic 
Association in Binghamton, New York.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 340

       Whereas on Friday April 3, 2009, the Nation experienced an 
     appalling misfortune when a gunman entered the American Civic 
     Association in Binghamton, New York, and murdered 13 and 
     wounded 4 innocent people;
       Whereas the shooting resulted in the tragic loss of Lan Ho, 
     Parveen Nln Ali, Li Guo, Dolores Yigal, Hong Xiu Mao, Marc 
     Henry Bernard, Maria Sonia Bernard, Maria Zobniw, Jiang Ling, 
     Hai Hong Zhong, Roberta King, Layla Khalil, and Almir O. 
     Alves;
       Whereas the attacker wounded Long Huyng, Shirley DeLucia, 
     Sumi Lee, and Liqiao Chen;
       Whereas this act of violence created numerous secondary 
     victims, including over 40 people who were in the building at 
     the time, as well as friends and family of the deceased who 
     are struggling to cope with the impact of this tragic act;
       Whereas many of the victims of this assault were residents 
     of Binghamton, New York, in Broome County, New York, a close-
     knit, diverse community with a long history of welcoming 
     people from all backgrounds, nationalities, and religions, as 
     well as immigrants and visitors from abroad;
       Whereas the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New 
     York, has proudly served the community since 1935, assisting 
     immigrants and refugees with counseling, resettlement, 
     citizenship, family reunification, language skills, and other 
     critical services that have played a vital role in the effort 
     to secure the dreams of immigrants seeking legal citizenship;
       Whereas the law enforcement agencies led by the City of 
     Binghamton Police Department, with support from the Broome 
     County Sheriff's Department, the New York State Police, and 
     neighboring municipalities responded quickly, professionally, 
     and heroically to the crime scene;
       Whereas swift action by emergency medical responders 
     addressed the needs of the wounded and quickly transported 
     them to hospitals;
       Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of 
     Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States 
     Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and others provided 
     swift and invaluable cooperation and resources to assist 
     local efforts and provide additional services to help the 
     community cope with this tragedy;
       Whereas the United States State Department quickly offered, 
     and is now providing, assistance with processing visas to 
     expedite the travel of victims' family; and
       Whereas, although the effects of this shooting will be felt 
     for years to come, the Binghamton community will overcome 
     this tragedy and re-emerge stronger than before and with 
     renewed sense of unity, cooperation, and understanding: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and 
     friends of the victims of the April 3, 2009, shooting in 
     Binghamton, New York;
       (2) conveys its gratitude to the city, county, State, and 
     Federal officials and agencies whose quick and comprehensive 
     response helped save lives and start the long healing 
     process; and
       (3) honors the American Civic Association for the services 
     it provides to assist people from across the world who seek 
     the American dream.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Westmoreland) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, with House Resolution 340, this Chamber expresses its 
profound sympathy to the victims of the tragic attack at the American 
Civic Association in Binghamton, New York, on April 3. Our thoughts 
continue to be with the families, friends, and the people of 
Binghamton, and they remain in our prayers. Thirteen men and women were 
murdered in this attack and four were wounded, shaking the community 
and the entire Nation.
  House Resolution 340 was introduced by our friend and colleague, 
Representative Hinchey of New York, and is co-sponsored by over 50 
Members of Congress.
  Given the tragic events on which House Resolution 340 is based, the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform moved quickly to consider 
a report on the bill, which brings us to today's consideration of the 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, we thank the American Civic Association for its 
continued service over the years as it has helped immigrants and 
refugees with counseling, resettlement, citizenship, family 
reunification, language skills, and other critical services, playing a 
vital role in the effort to secure the dreams of immigrants seeking 
U.S. citizenship. We want them to know that they have our prayers and 
our heartfelt sympathies during this difficult time.
  I would also like to commend the City of Binghamton Police 
Department, the Broome County Sheriff's Department and the New York 
State Police for their swift response to this attack. In addition, we 
thank the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 
the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office, and other Federal 
agencies for their assistance.
  We were all deeply saddened to hear of this attack, and it is 
difficult for us to comprehend such an act of violence. We will feel 
its effect for years, but we can be sure that in time Binghamton will 
heal, emerging from this tragedy stronger and more united than ever 
before.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of this resolution 
expressing sympathy to the victims, families, and friends of the tragic 
act of violence at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, New 
York.
  For immigrants in the Binghamton area, the American Civic 
Association, located on Front Street, is a representation of their 
ongoing pursuit of the American dream as newcomers from around the 
world learn English and the skills necessary to obtain United States 
citizenship. But on April 3, the American Civic Association--a 
welcoming place serving 60 to 100 people per day--became a killing 
zone. On that dreadful day, a deranged man, whose own dream of 
immigrating from Vietnam to America had now come to nothing but despair 
and senseless turmoil, ended the dreams of one aspiring citizen after 
another by opening fire on unsuspecting employees, volunteers, and 
hopeful immigrants, resulting in the loss of 14 lives, including the 
shooter, and four wounded people.
  As we remember the victims, we also commend the efforts of the first 
responders--local police, fire, emergency medical crews, city and 
county officials, and the community as a whole--for their rapid and 
cohesive response to this unfortunate tragedy. In addition, we commend 
the United States Department of State for quickly offering assistance 
with processing visas to expedite the travel of the victims' families 
so they could arrange for the burial of their loved ones.
  The memory of this senseless event will not soon be forgotten. 
However, the strength and determination of the Binghamton community as 
well as the citizens of New York will help the healing process.

[[Page H4849]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri).
  Mr. ARCURI. I thank my good friend for yielding.
  Over the past several weeks, many of you have seen the images and 
read the news about the tragic shooting in Binghamton, New York, on 
April 3, 2009. Thirteen innocent people lost their lives at the 
American Civic Association building due to senseless violence.
  While I don't represent the City of Binghamton, I represent the 
suburbs in the area around Binghamton and know many people that work 
and live in the Binghamton area. I want to take this time to again 
offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who 
lost their lives on that day and offer my sincerest gratitude to the 
local officials and first responders on the ground whose immediate 
action then prevented further loss of life. And their continued 
leadership now has allowed for the Binghamton community to start the 
healing process.
  I want to especially mention the Broome County Executive, Barbara 
Fiala; Binghamton Mayor, Matt Ryan; Binghamton Police Chief, Joe 
Zikuski; and Broome County Emergency Services Director, Brett Chelis, 
who led the team of hundreds of first responders consisting of police, 
fire, rescue and medical staff. To the staff at the local hospitals 
that cared for the victims of this tragedy and worked tirelessly to 
save lives, I sincerely say thank you.
  I want to say how thankful I am--and I know that so many in the 
Binghamton community are--to my colleague, Congressman Maurice Hinchey. 
Congressman Hinchey answered the call at the first sign of trouble and 
was in his district working with his people to make sure all that could 
be done was being done throughout the crisis.
  I again give my continued full support to all those involved, and ask 
that we learn from such a tragedy and do all that we can to ensure that 
an incident like that never happens again.

                              {time}  1230

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I want to say in closing for myself that this 
is an experience that no Member of Congress wishes to face. However, at 
the same time, I must confess admiration not only for the law 
enforcement authorities and the medical staff and families who have 
been affected in this case but also, and I think especially from our 
standpoint here in the House, the way in which Representative Maurice 
Hinchey, faced with this disaster, this terrible tragedy in his 
district, flew back to his district, rolled up his sleeves, opened his 
heart to the people that he cares about and represents here in Congress 
every day, and began the very difficult work of helping his community 
in Binghamton heal from these wounds.
  And I just want to say there are occasions that are forced upon us 
unwillingly that really show, I think, in a greater depth and a more 
meaningful extent the true content of our character, and seeing the way 
the community in Binghamton came together in this tragedy to comfort 
those who were victimized and to bring some peace to those families, 
the way the law enforcement community and the nurses and docs in taking 
care of those families came together, and seeing how Mr. Hinchey sprang 
to action and addressed the tragedy himself was a shining example, I 
think, of the strength of the United States and of our core 
communities. And I just think that if there is any silver lining that 
one can gain from this tragedy, it is just that: The way this community 
has responded to a senseless, senseless tragedy and the way they have 
provided comfort to people in their own communities is truly admirable.
  I think, as Members of Congress here on both sides of the aisle have 
acknowledged here, the way that Maurice Hinchey had weighed into the 
process was truly, I think, exemplary for all of us, unwanted 
admittedly but certainly extremely admirable under the circumstances. 
And we will pay special attention to this tragedy going forward.
  At this point, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), the lead sponsor of this 
resolution.
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the opportunity to 
speak about this important issue, and I very much appreciate everything 
that has been said here by Members focusing attention on this critical 
issue.
  I rise today as a representative of the 22nd Congressional District 
in the State of New York, which includes that wonderful, magnificent 
City of Binghamton.
  Now, less than 4 weeks ago, this proud community suffered a 
devastating tragedy. On the morning of Friday, April 3, 2009, a single 
gunman entered the offices of the American Civic Association and there 
murdered 13 innocent people and seriously wounded four more. I am here 
today on behalf of Congress to offer our formal condolences, to honor 
the victims of this tragedy, and to express gratitude to the heroes who 
responded.
  With this resolution, we remember those who were lost that day, offer 
our condolences to their families, express our hopes that those wounded 
and touched by this tragedy are on the path to recovery, and thank all 
those who responded. I want to thank Chairman Towns and Ranking Member 
Issa for their support in allowing this resolution to come to the 
floor. I also want to express my appreciation to our Speaker and to our 
majority leader who assisted us with this resolution.
  Binghamton, New York, is a close-knit, diverse community with a long 
history of welcoming people from all backgrounds, all nationalities and 
religions, as well as immigrants and visitors from anywhere abroad. 
It's a place where those looking for a better life are welcomed with 
open arms and where being a part of a community means being part of a 
family.
  The American Civic Association performs no small role in this 
process. This organization, the American Civic Association, has proudly 
served the community since 1935. It offers immigrants and refugees 
critical services such as counseling, language education, and family 
reunification in order to help people realize their own American 
dreams. Their noble work is lauded in the community and supported by 
people from all political parties and all backgrounds.
  The 13 individuals who lost their lives that day ranged from the age 
of 22 to 72 and included a mother of three, a newly-wedded bride, a 
student, a teacher, and many others, all of whom were hardworking 
individuals who had the same goal of being able to offer a better life 
for their children, their families. I would like to take a moment to 
pay respect to those 13 victims:
  Parveen Ali, Almir Alves, Maria Sonia Bernard, Marc Henry Bernard, Li 
Guo, Lan Ho, Layla Khalil, Roberta King, Jiang Ling, Hong Xiu Mao, 
Dolores Yigal, Hai Hong Zhong, Maria K. Zobniw.
  Shirley DeLucia was among the four who were wounded. She showed her 
bravery that day by placing the 911 call after being shot in the 
abdomen.
  I would like to thank those who showed swift and decisive action that 
morning. First and most importantly, I would also like to offer my 
utmost gratitude to the law enforcement agencies who responded so 
quickly and professionally to this major event. The City of Binghamton 
Police, led by Chief Joseph Zikuski, worked in conjunction with the 
Broome County Sheriff's Department, the New York State Police, and 
other neighboring municipalities to heroically address the critical 
needs of the city and the people.
  I would also like to make mention of the help afforded us by our 
Federal agencies, notably the Department of Justice for its swift 
action during the immediate situation and to the State Department and 
the Bureau of Customs and Immigration for their assistance during the 
difficult aftermath. I would like to thank Binghamton Mayor, Matthew 
Ryan, and Governor Paterson for their efforts in organizing local and 
State resources in a very effective and efficient way. I would also 
like to thank the White House for its direct response and particularly 
Vice President Biden for reaching out and helping to coordinate 
agencies on the Federal level.
  Many lives were lost that day, but many more could have been lost 
were

[[Page H4850]]

it not for the brave and effective actions of our men and women in 
uniform. They deserve our highest level of respect and gratitude.
  While we must continue with our daily lives, let us not forget those 
who have had their lives permanently altered by this event, and let us 
also use this tragedy as a daily reminder of how fragile life is and 
how to make the most of the time that we have.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I simply urge our colleagues to join Mr. 
Hinchey in supporting this resolution.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
340, a resolution that expresses sympathy to the victims, families and 
friends of the tragic act of violence at the American Civic Association 
in Binghamton, NY.
  My heart goes out not only to the victims and families of this 
senseless tragedy but to the entire city of Binghamton, New York. I am 
deeply saddened by the violence that has afflicted that community and 
that together, the citizens can regain a sense of safety and hope. I 
would also like to thank and commend the first responders and all of 
law enforcement who responded to the crime scene and who continue to 
help the community cope with this tragedy. Binghamton, New York has a 
long history of welcoming people from all backgrounds, nationalities, 
and religions, as well as immigrants and visitors from abroad and the 
American Civic Association in Binghamton has been at the heart of these 
efforts. For over 80 years, the American Civic Association has served 
its community assisting immigrants and refugees with counseling, 
resettlement, citizenship, family reunification, language skills, and 
other critical services that have played a vital role in the effort to 
pursue the dreams of immigrants seeking legal citizenship.
  Many of those who sought a haven in the Association had escaped the 
violence of war and tyranny in their home countries to create a better 
life in the United States. It is a sad irony that instead, they found 
tragedy.
  In the midst of tragedy, I respectfully remind my colleagues that we 
will continue to be vigilant against these cowardly acts of violence 
and that our condolences are with the victims and their friends and 
families. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. LYNCH. 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 Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 340.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________