[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 113 (Thursday, July 26, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5297-H5302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING THE ATROCITIES THAT OCCURRED IN AURORA, COLORADO
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of
July 25, 2012, I call up the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 134)
condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous atrocities
that occurred in Aurora, Colorado, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 134
Whereas, on July 20, 2012, an armed gunman opened fire at a
movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 and wounding 58
others;
Whereas many individuals at the theater selflessly sought
to aid and protect others above their own safety;
Whereas the Aurora Police Department and the Aurora Fire
Department quickly and bravely acted to prevent the
additional loss of life; and
Whereas local, State, and Federal law enforcement,
firefighter, and medical service professionals performed
their duties with utmost skill and coordination: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous
atrocities that occurred in Aurora, Colorado;
(2) offers its condolences to the families, friends, and
loved ones of those who were killed in the attack and
expresses its hope for the rapid and complete recovery of the
wounded;
(3) applauds the hard work and dedication exhibited by the
hundreds of local, State, and Federal officials and the
others who offered their support and assistance; and
(4) honors the resilience of the community of the City of
Aurora and the State of Colorado in the face of such
adversity.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Womack). Pursuant to the order of the
House of Wednesday, July 25, 2012, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr.
Coffman) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) each will
control 15 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, we can never explain nor fully
comprehend evil, but last Friday we were reminded of its existence. The
face of evil emerged when a cold blooded, calculating mass murderer
trapped unsuspecting movie patrons packed in a darkened theater in my
hometown of Aurora, Colorado.
Today, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, we
pause to again remember the victims of this horrendous crime and to
honor the courage of so many who put their own lives at risk to limit
the carnage.
The victims who lost their lives in the early morning hours of last
Friday are: Veronica Moser, age 6; Alex Teves, age 24; Jessica Ghawi,
age 24; Alex Sullivan, age 27; Matt McQuinn, age 27; Micayla Medek, age
23; John Larimer, age 27; A.J. Boik, age 18; Rebecca Wingo, age 32;
John Blunk, age 26; Jesse Childress, age 29; Gordon Cowden, age 51.
Aurora is a proud suburban community, mostly of working class and
middle class families, who share basic American values, the values of
hard work, and of faith in God, and of family.
My family came to Aurora, Colorado, in 1964 when my father, a career
soldier, was sent to Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center for his last
assignment in the U.S. Army. Back then, Aurora was just a small town
surrounded by three military bases. In the 1970s, Aurora transitioned
away from being a military town, although it still has an Air Force
base. Aurora has grown to become the third-largest city in the State of
Colorado, with a population of over 300,000 residents. Aurora has also
grown to become the most racially and ethnically diverse city in the
State of Colorado.
Aurora has received the ``All-American City Award'' by the National
League of Cities in recognition of being a community whose citizens
work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and for
having achieved uncommon results. A couple of weeks ago, I was at a
meeting with the Aurora Board of Realtors where Mayor Steve Hogan was
speaking. He proudly informed the audience that Aurora was ranked as
the eighth-safest city of its size in the country.
{time} 0920
No doubt we are still in shock and trying to understand why this
happened to our community.
The theater where so many lost their lives and where so many were
injured lies in the heart of our city. The vacant ground beside the
theater has been designated by our city's planners to be the future
site of the City Center.
Aurora will never be the same after this horrific act of evil that
occurred last week, but the citizens of Aurora are caring and
resilient, and a long process of healing has already begun. We will
stand together and come back stronger than before this attack.
When I think of all the victims of this tragedy and how much our
community has suffered, I am reminded by a refrain from a hymn that I
have often sung in church:
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity the other
day for us to have a moment of silence. I know it was important to the
members of our delegation as well as to the people of our community in
Aurora, Colorado, and the whole metropolitan area.
I had a chance to speak on Tuesday. I have a number of things to say,
but I know each of us in our delegation bears a heavy heart as a result
of all this, and I would like others to be able to share some of their
thoughts.
With that, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from Boulder, Mr. Polis.
Mr. POLIS. I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Perlmutter from
Colorado, not only for bringing forward this resolution, but for
spending time with those affected in the aftermath of this. I'd also
like to thank President Obama for immediately changing his plans and
coming to Colorado to express, on behalf of our Nation, grief and
provide what comfort he could to the victims and their families.
I think one thing that's important for Americans to understand is
Aurora is a community just like yours. My district is several miles
from Aurora, but I've been to movies myself in Aurora. I drive through
it frequently on the way to the airport.
This could be anywhere. It's a safe community. It's a community of
loving families. It's a growing city. And the tragedy that occurred
could have been at any one of our neighborhood theaters.
Going to the movie theater, an expression of innocent joy, something
that people have grown up with for generations, the magic of the silver
screen and lives torn apart, not only those who lost their lives
tragically, not only those who were injured, some of whom remain in the
hospital, but all the others that were terrified, scared in the other
theater, in the other movie theaters that night, in the community at
large, this was, in many ways, a crime against innocence and a crime
against enjoyment and diversion. People turn to movies, turn to
entertainment for a moment's respite, a moment's entertainment from
their daily lives, and this tragic end really represents an end of
innocence for so many people that were affected.
But so, too, we've seen many great heroes rise to the occasion: the
courageous responders, the community of Aurora, Mayor Hogan, the
families of those affected, and our criminal justice system. We all
come together in difficult times. We all come together, and together
with the love, respect, and support from American families across the
country, the victims' families know that they're not alone, and that's
important.
[[Page H5298]]
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield 4 minutes to
the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton).
Mr. TIPTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I think that we all struggle to be able to find words to
be able to address a flash point in time in the city of Aurora to where
we saw the absolute worst of humanity in the senseless slaughter of
innocent people. But we also saw the best of humanity as people rose to
be able to protect their loved ones, as we saw emergency service
personnel rush to the scene to be able to operate in the hospitals
where doctors and nurses fought valiantly to be able to preserve life.
As we look back on that day, we can't help but be reminded that too
many lives were cut short, and chapters that were yet to be written
needlessly and mindlessly were cut off.
The hearts of all Coloradans and, in fact, what we've seen
demonstrated on this floor I think speaks to the heart of this country,
as people rose as one to be able to express their empathy and their
concern. We saw neighbors and strangers reaching out and helping hands
all praying for that opportunity and ability to be able to find the
right words, if there could ever be such words, to offer some modicum
of comfort to those who suffered such a tragic loss.
This is a date that certainly our State and the people of Aurora will
never forget. It has touched each and every one of our hearts, and you
can not help but condemn, obviously, the act. But each one of us, I
think, this day and for days, weeks, months, and years to come, will
continue to offer up prayers for those who lost their lives, for the
families that were affected, and our thanks, our thanks for those who
showed such love and concern, and for all the emergency service
personnel who were there to defend people who just were out for a good
evening.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud this resolution and this Colorado delegation's
standing together today to be able to express this and thank this House
for the support that they've shown, as well, for the people of
Colorado.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to yield 3 minutes to Diana
DeGette, my friend from Denver, who had a number of constituents in the
movie theater that evening.
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my dear friend and
colleague, Ed Perlmutter, for yielding to me.
This is a difficult week for all of us in Colorado.
There were two movie theaters in the Denver metro area that were
showing this premiere at midnight last Thursday night. So there were
people from all over the community in that theater there with their
families and their friends, almost the entire employees of a restaurant
in Colorado. They went to have a fun evening on a summer night. And
tragedy, of course, struck that night unexpectedly to everybody.
I've been overwhelmed, as we all have in the delegation, by the
support of the community for all of the victims of the shooting and
their families.
{time} 0930
The way the communities have come together--Aurora and Denver and
Inglewood and all of the communities--has been a blessed thing to see
for all of us.
No one can make sense of a tragedy like this, and the stories of
heroism are still coming out every day. The stories of miracles--babies
born just a day or two after in the same hospital where the father lies
in a coma. Yet while we hear all of these stories of heroism and while
we hear all of the stories of first responders rushing to the scene and
helping within 90 seconds, in our heart we say: How can this happen and
what can we do?
I did have a number of constituents in that theater, some who were
just injured, some who were in the nearby theaters who will be scarred
psychologically forever by this, a close friend of my daughter, and
others. I had at least three constituents who were killed by this
terrible crime. The little girl, Veronica Moser, age 6--whose mother,
Ashley, lies in critical condition--Jessica Ghawi and Alex Teves. Our
prayers and thoughts go out to all of them and their families.
It's wonderful to see my friends from the delegation here, the entire
House delegation from Colorado. We consider ourselves to be close
allies, although we often disagree on different issues.
I just want to say something to all of my colleagues and to everyone
in this House, Mr. Speaker. We have now had, as of today, 25 moments of
silence as respects victims of gun violence since the Columbine
shooting. I was here for that too. We had two moments of silence just
the other day, one for Aurora and one for the anniversary of the
Capitol police officer who was killed 10 years ago today.
So we can have our debates, we can have our discussions, we can mourn
for the victims, which is appropriate this week; but it is our
challenge, as leaders of our State and leaders of our country, to go on
from today and to say: What can we seriously do as a Nation to make
sure that no tragedy of this scope or horror ever happens in this
country again?
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Mike Coffman
and Representative Ed Perlmutter for leading this time this morning.
Mr. Speaker, the fact that the entire delegation--bipartisan
delegation--is here is just a small reflection of how the people of
Colorado are coming together and the people of Aurora are coming
together after this senseless tragedy.
We've heard a lot of stories of bravery, both on the parts of the
first responders and the parts of everyday citizens. I want to tell a
story of one of the victims.
I'd like to share the story of Caleb Medley. Caleb is from the small
town of Florence, just south of Colorado Springs. Today, Caleb lies in
a medically induced coma after being shot in the face. In the days
since that horrific shooting, his wife, Katie, has given birth to their
first child, Hugo.
Caleb spent his teen years in Florence; and after graduating from
high school, he married his high school sweetheart, Katie. He went to
work at a local grocery store. Like most people, he and Katie have big
plans and dreams for their lives. From the time he was in eighth grade,
Caleb has wanted to be a standup comedian. Katie wants to work in
veterinarian medicine. The young couple moved to the Denver suburb of
Aurora to pursue their dreams.
On July 18, just 2 days before the shooting, Caleb appeared at the
Comedy Works and did well enough to advance to the next round. And he
and his wife, Katie, were looking forward to their baby's birth a few
days later. But before little Hugo could be born, Caleb and Katie made
the fateful decision to go out one last night before becoming parents.
According to a Web site that Caleb's family has posted, the two stood
anxiously in line that night. They spent too much on popcorn and soda.
They endured the movie trailers, and they watched the beginning of the
movie. That's when evil struck. Evil came to them through a man that
opened fire in that movie theater.
Katie and baby Hugo made it out uninjured, but Caleb was struck in
the face by gunfire. Caleb has lost his right eye, has some brain
damage, and doctors have put him in a medically induced coma.
So, Mr. Speaker, I ask that the people of America would be praying
for Caleb and his family. We are pulling for you, Caleb, and for all
the victims of this senseless tragedy.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. I thank my friend Doug for describing in detail one
of these injuries.
I'd like to introduce, Mr. Speaker, if I could, for the Record some
brief biographical information of each of the victims who was killed:
John Blunk, Alexander Jonathan ``AJ'' Boik, Jesse Childress, Gordon
Cowden, Jessica Ghawi, John Larimer, Micayla Medek, Veronica Moser,
Alex Sullivan, Alex Teves, and Rebecca Wingo, because I want our Record
in this Congress to have their names and some information about them.
And I appreciate you talking about somebody specifically.
These are hard moments for all of us. These are good people, and some
very bad things happened to some very good people. But I want to talk
about some of the positive aspects that came out of this dreadful
night.
Thirteen years ago--Diana DeGette mentioned Columbine--on the
southwest side of my district I have Columbine, on the northeast side
of my
[[Page H5299]]
district I have this theater. Colorado is a good place. I mean, all of
us love where we come from. We've had some violent incidents that have
taken our innocence, as Mr. Polis has said. We heal from these things,
but you're never quite the same. You're never quite the same. But one
of the positive aspects of that terrible incident 13 years ago at
Columbine High School was that our law enforcement, our first
responders, our police, our firefighters, our medical teams learned
some real lessons.
We have, in the Aurora area, a community college called Aurora
Community College, where we have gone through a number of exercises to
deal with a mass casualty incident such as this, where the police, the
fire, law enforcement agencies from across our communities--Denver,
Adams, Arapahoe Counties--work together with the CU Medical School to
address these kinds of incidents, and the chief of police, Dan Oates,
who deserves a higher place in heaven for the way he has managed this
terrible time on behalf of law enforcement. They've prepared and
prepared and prepared. Unbelievably, this terrible tragedy happened,
but because of that preparation, because of what we had gone through
before and the terrible lessons we learned, lives were saved. There's
no question about it; lives were saved that otherwise would have been
lost.
I want to applaud, again, the Aurora police, the Aurora firefighters,
the medical teams--casualties were taken to six or seven different
hospitals in our area--but they all did an outstanding job. The
dispatchers, can you imagine all the 911 calls that came in that night.
We want to thank them.
We want to thank the FBI. Jim Yacone, who is our bureau chief, was
outstanding on behalf of the Federal response to deal both with the
shootings that occurred in the theater and the elaborate booby trap
that was set in this apartment--that I drive by at least once a week--
right across from the University of Colorado. This is something that we
will heal from, but we will never be the same.
And I just want to thank the Aurora schools, which provided a place
of safety for all of these individuals to go at the time of this
incident.
{time} 0940
I want to thank the ministerial alliance. As Mr. Coffman said, this
is a community of great faith, and our churches and our synagogues have
responded in a tremendous fashion to the sorrow that we all feel.
There are many stories, some beautiful ones. The President shared
one.
Before I go further, Mr. Speaker, can I inquire as to the time on
both sides, because I know I have a couple of other speakers that would
like to speak.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter)
has 4\1/2\ minutes. The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman) has 4
minutes remaining.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. I would just mention the story, and this is one that
I'm so proud of people from Colorado. There were two young women in the
back of the theater when the gentleman came in and threw a tear gas
canister across the theater. And the taller of the two noticed that it
really was something other than a smoke bomb and a stunt, and she stood
up to warn people, and she was shot in the neck immediately.
Blood started to spurt out. Her smaller friend pulled her down,
compressed that wound, and the older one said something, or the one
who'd been shot said something like you need to leave, you need to get
out of here. And her friend said, I'm not leaving without you, and
continued to press.
The police responded very quickly, but it probably seemed like an
eternity. But the young lady who was shot in the neck is on the mend
and is going to recover fully, and her friend, basically, saved her
life, and the quick actions of the police and the fire department.
So despite these terrible losses that we've suffered, and there are
so many heartbreaking stories, there are some heartwarming stories as
well.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
July 20, 2012 Aurora Theater Shooting Victims
Rebecca Wingo, 32
Steve Hernandez wrote, ``I lost my daughter yesterday to a
mad man, my grief right now is inconsolable, I hear she died
instantly, without pain, however the pain is unbearable.''
Friends said Saturday that Wingo's parents also posted a
message about Wingo's death on Wingo's own Facebook page.
That page shows a picture of two young girls. A friend, Gail
Riffle, brought two teddy bears, one pink and one white, to
the memorial site near the movie theater for Wingo's
daughters, as well as roses for Wingo's parents. ``Everybody
is hurting right now,'' Riffle said. ``She was a gentle,
sweet, beautiful soul.'' Rebecca Wingo listed Joe's Crab
Shack as her employer on Facebook, and a manager at the
restaurant in Aurora confirmed Wingo worked there. He
deferred comment to the restaurant's corporate office, which
is closed on Saturday. Rebecca Wingo had been enrolled at the
Community College of Aurora since fall 2009 and had been
working toward an associate of arts degree.
Memorial Service Information
Funeral: Friday, July 27, 2012--TBD.
____
JON BLUNK, 26
Jon Blunk, 26, was shot to death in the Aurora Theater
while trying to protect his girlfriend, Jansen Young. Jon
Blunk went to Proctor Hug High School in Reno. After his 2004
high school graduation, he enlisted in the Navy and served
aboard the USS Nimitz in San Diego. Blunk left the Navy and
moved to Colorado in 2009. He had been working at a hardware
store at the time of the theater shooting.
Memorial Service Information
Funeral: Friday, August 3, 2012--1:00 pm PDT, Mountain View
Mortuary, 425 Stoker Avenue, Reno, NV 89503.
Note: Full military funeral and burial.
The viewing which will only be attended by family and not
advertised will be on Thursday, August 2nd from ll am-5 pm.
____
Alexander Jonathan ``AJ'' BOIK, 18
AJ Boik was being remembered Saturday as a talented and
kind man who enjoyed baseball, making pottery and music.
Boik's plans included attending Rocky Mountain College of Art
and Design in the fall. His family said his dream was to
become an art teacher and open his own studio. ``AJ Boik was
a wonderful, handsome and loving 18-year-old young man with a
warm and loving heart,'' the family said in a statement.
Survived by mother Theresa Hoover; father Jon Boik; brother
Wil Boik; grandparents Bill & Sue Hoover, Cora Lou Tarrant
and Emil Boik; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Memorial Service Information
Visitation: Thurs., 1:00-5:30 pm, Horan & McConaty Family
Chapel, 11150 E. Dartmouth Ave., Aurora.
Funeral: Friday, July 27, 2012--10 am MDT, Queen of Peace
Catholic Church, 13120 E Kentucky Ave, Aurora.
Memorial Donations suggested to the A.J. Boik Memorial
Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank.
Share condolences at HoranCares.com.
____
Jesse Childress, 29
Jesse Childress, 29, Air Force Reservist, lived in
Thornton, CO. Jesse worked as a cyber systems operator and
was on active duty at Buckley Air Force Base. He loved sports
and comic books, friends say. Nearly every day of the week,
Jesse Childress spent his evenings playing sports with
friends. Monday it was softball. Tuesday it was bowling.
Another night, it was flag football.
The base released a statement Saturday: ``This tragic event
has affected everybody here at Buckley Air Force Base and our
local community friends and neighbors,'' base commander Col.
Daniel Dant said in a statement. ``We are deeply saddened by
the loss of each and every loved one.'' According to the Air
Force Reserve Command, Childress worked as a cyber systems
operator and was currently on active duty.
Memorial Service Information
Funeral: Saturday, July 28, 2012--12:00 pm MDT--Base
Chapel, Buckley Air Force Base--Aurora, CO.
Following the funeral, there will be a procession to Ft
Logan where the interment will take place at 3:00 pm MDT.
There are also plans in works for a reception back at the
base (not sure if at the chapel or LDC at this time)
somewhere around 5:00 pm-6:00 pm MDT, no firm plans are in
place yet.
____
Gordon W. Cowden, 51
Gordon Ware Cowden was born on November 17, 1960 in Waco,
Texas. Father of Kristian, Weston, Brooke and Cierra; son of
George and Mollie; brother of Graves, George (Shirley),
Gaylynn (Ken) Kendall. He is also survived by the mother of
his children Melisa. Cowden is the son of former Texas State
Representative George M. Cowden, according to the Austin
Statesman. Cowden had taken his two teenage children to the
theater the night of the shooting. The teenagers escaped
unharmed.
Gordon W. Cowden, 51 of Aurora, Colorado, was the oldest of
the victims killed.
His family released this statement: ``Loving father,
outdoorsman and small business owner, Cowden was a true Texas
gentleman that loved life and his family. A quick witted
world traveler with a keen sense of humor, he will be
remembered for his devotion to his children and for always
trying his best to do the right thing, no matter the
obstacle.''
Memorial Service Information
Funeral: Wednesday, July 25, 2012--11 am MDT, Pathways
Church, 1595 Pearl Street, Denver, CO.
[[Page H5300]]
Please share memories at HoranCares.com.
____
Jessica Ghawi, 24
Jessica Ghawi was an up-and-coming sportscaster who loved
hockey. Jessica Ghawi, 24, grew up a hockey fan in football-
crazed Texas. She followed that passion to Colorado to forge
a career in sports journalism. It probably took her to
Toronto, where she walked out of a shopping-mall food court
moments before a gunman shot seven people. Writing as Jessica
Redfield in a June 5 blog entry, she described how the
experience reminded her ``how blessed I am for each second I
am given.''
Memorial Service Information
Funeral: Saturday, July 28, 2012--10 am CDT, Community
Bible Forever New Church, 2477 North Loop 1604 East, San
Antonio, TX.
Church staffers said they do not have any information on
whether the event will be open to the public. They plan an
announcement with more details by Wednesday.
____
John Larimer, 27
Petty Officer Third Class John Thomas Larimer was among
those killed in the attack at an Aurora movie theater.
Larimer, 27, joined the Navy in June 2011 and was a
cryptology technician third class. For the past year, he had
been stationed at the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command station at
Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora. ``I am incredibly saddened
by the loss of Petty Officer John Larimer,'' Cmdr. Jeffrey
Jakuboski, Larimer's commanding officer, said in a statement.
``He was an outstanding shipmate. A valued member of our Navy
team, he will be missed by all who knew him.'' Larimer was
from Crystal Lake, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. He wanted to be
deployed for two simple reasons: He wanted to protect his
country, and he wanted to save others from danger and harm.
Memorial Service Information
The family of the Navy Intelligence officer is planning a
public visitation from 3 to 9 p.m. July 27 at the Davenport
Family Funeral Home in Crystal Lake, Ill.
His funeral and burial will be private.
____
Matt McQuinn, 27
As a gunman calmly walked up the aisle of the Aurora movie
theater Friday firing at moviegoers, McQuinn dove on top of
Samantha Yowler. Her brother Nick Yowler, 32, also tried to
shield her, said Robert L. Scott, attorney for both the
McQuinn and Yowler families. Samantha Yowler, 27, was shot in
the knee. Her brother escaped without injury. But McQuinn,
from St. Paris, Ohio, was not as fortunate. Matt McQuinn
graduated from Vandalia-Butler High School in 2004. He met
Yowler while the two were working at a Target store in
Springfield, according to the Dayton Daily News. In November,
the couple transferred to a Target store in Denver, joining
Yowler's brother who had lived in Colorado for the past few
years.
Memorial Service Information
Visitation: Friday, July 27, 2012--2-4 pm & 6-8 pm EDT,
Maiden Lane Church of God, 1201 Maiden Lane Springfield, OH
45504.
Funeral: Saturday, July 28th--10am EDT, Maiden Lane Church
of God, 1201 Maiden Lane Springfield, OH 45504.
His burial will be at Lawrenceville Cemetery in Clark
County.
____
Micayla Medek, 23
On her Facebook page, Micayla Medek, 23, identified herself
as a Subway sandwich artist. A graduate of William C. Hinkley
High School in Aurora, she said she was a member of the class
of 2015 of the Community College of Aurora. ``I'm a simple
independent girl who's just trying to get her life together
while still having fun,'' she wrote. She is survived by her
parents, Greg and Rena; brother, Shane; sister, Amanda;
grandparents, Laurin and Marlene Knobbe; grandmother,
Caroline Medek; and numerous other relatives and friends.
Memorial Service Information
Visitation: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 from 2 pm to 9 pm MDT,
Newcomer Funeral Home & Crematory, 190 N. Potomac, Aurora,
CO.
Funeral: Thursday, July 26, 2012--11 am MDT, New Hope
Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO.
____
Veronica Moser, 6
Veronica Moser will always be six years old. The ``vibrant,
excitable'' blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl, who was
bragging four days ago about learning how to swim, was one of
the 12 people who died in the Aurora theater shooting. Ashley
Moser, Veronica's mother, remains in critical condition at
Aurora Medical Center. The 25-year-old was shot in the neck,
and doctors are unable to remove the bullet. Moser also
suffered a gunshot wound in the abdomen. She passes in and
out of consciousness, Dalton said, and does not yet know that
her daughter has died. Doctors said that Moser, who was
recently accepted to medical school, will hopefully recover
with some use of her hands, Dalton said.
Memorial Service Information
No details as of 7/25/12.
____
Alex Sullivan, 27
Alex Sullivan, 27, was celebrating his birthday with co-
workers from Red Robin restaurant at the midnight showing of
``The Dark Knight'' when he was killed. Sullivan was also
about to celebrate his one-year wedding anniversary. ``The
Sullivan family lost a cherished member of their family
today,'' a release from the family said. ``Alex was smart,
funny, and above all loved dearly by his friends and
family.''
Tina Desautels from APWU let us know Alex Sullivan, is the
son of a postal worker in Aurora--Tom Sullivan.
Memorial Service Information
Visitation (Public): Thursday, July 26, 2012 from 12 pm to
4 pm MDT at The Heartlight Center, 11150 E. Dartmouth Avenue,
Aurora, CO.
Funeral: Friday, July 27, 2012--TBD.
____
Alex Teves, 24
Shooting victim Alex Teves, 24, recently earned his
master's degree in counseling psychology from the University
of Denver. A friend, identified only as Caitlin on Twitter,
posted messages on the social media network early Friday from
the Century 16 theater, and wrote on Twitter early Saturday
that Teves was, ``One of the best men I ever knew. The world
isn't as good a place without him.'' She also described Teves
as a fan of the University of Arizona and Spider-Man. A
University of Denver spokeswoman said Teves, from Phoenix,
Ariz., graduated in June. An official notice of Teves' death
will be sent to the University of Denver community later
Saturday. Teves' personal Facebook page lists him as a 2010
graduate of the University of Arizona, and a 2006 graduate of
Desert Vista High School in Phoenix.
Memorial Service Information
The Teves family is planning to hold memorial services in
Arizona and New Jersey, however more specific details have
not yet been released.
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in support of Mr.
Perlmutter's comments in relationship to our own Aurora Police
Department, as well as all the other law enforcement entities that have
helped in this terrible tragedy.
I now yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Gardner).
Mr. GARDNER. I thank the gentleman from Aurora for yielding time to
share today, and thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) for
your leadership and your comfort and encouraging words during an
incredible tragedy.
And to the President, thank you for sharing your love with Colorado,
as well as to Governor Hickenlooper for the leadership that he has
provided throughout this past week.
This Chamber has seen its incredible days of victories, of
celebrations, of great triumphs for this country. And today we discuss
a resolution that talks about one of our Nation's great tragedies. And
so we join together as a delegation to talk about an event that we, in
Colorado, know we will not let remain a tragedy, but will turn into
remembrance of those who are good in our State and our country.
We oftentimes in Colorado forget because of the great beauty of our
State that sometimes the hearts of all people don't match that beauty.
But as we sat at the prayer vigil this past Sunday and looked out as
the rays of sun broke through the clouds, on the choir, on the many
people of faith who had gathered, we know that this one dark moment in
history will be matched by far greater light. And it's our obligation
to make sure that that indeed happens.
As a father, I can't imagine the great loss of families and friends,
the victims of this horrendous crime. And our hearts, our prayers, our
thoughts go with them as we build a stronger community going forward.
The many people of faith who have prayed, the people in this body who
have shared their prayers and thoughts with the community of Colorado
remind me of a passage in the book of Matthew, where Jesus went out
onto the lake in the middle of a storm with his disciples, and he
looked out upon the stormy waters and he said, peace be still. And we
ask that those who are troubled, those whose hearts are yet to heal, we
ask for the peace that we all so desperately need.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the leader, the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Perlmutter for yielding, and I'm
very sad to join my colleagues in expressing the deepest sympathies of
the House of Representatives to the families and loved ones of the
victims in Aurora, Colorado, and to the entire community as it grapples
with its grief.
My colleagues have spoken very movingly from the standpoint of faith;
and, hopefully, that faith will be a comfort to those who are affected.
[[Page H5301]]
As you know, Mr. Speaker, when we learned of this tragedy, the
President ordered flags to be flown at half staff for 1 week to
commemorate the tragedy that Aurora, these individual families, and our
country had suffered. That was done as a mark of respect for the 12
innocent victims of the senseless violence and for all who were
affected.
Of the victims who were murdered, and that's just the word that day,
the vast majority were very young people. The one, Gordon Cowden, was a
father in his fifties--well, that seems young to me; the others were
very young--whose last words to his daughters were to tell them he
loved them.
Each of them has a story that deserves to be told. Each was beloved.
Each left home with a different expectation of what would happen that
evening, and so did the rest of the country.
Several died protecting their loved ones, including John Blunk, Alex
Teves and Matt McQuinn. Alex Sullivan was about to celebrate his 1-year
wedding anniversary, and that was the celebration, going out to the
movies.
A.J. Boik had just graduated from high school. Jessica Ghawi dreamed
of being a sports journalist. Micayla Medek and Rebecca Wingo were
pursuing their futures at community college.
Two victims, Jesse Childress and John Larimer, were Active Duty
military personnel. They signed up to risk their lives for our country
to protect our freedom. Who could have ever thought that they would
lose their lives going to the movies?
And as a child, Veronica Moser will now forever be remembered as the
6-year-old. What a sad tragedy.
Most of us here in this body are parents and grandparents, and in
Steny's case, a great-grandparent, and every person knows the feeling
of sending a child off to a movie with their friends, the excitement of
an opening night, and then the worry when the minutes tick by and
someone hasn't come home.
It is with heavy hearts that we send our thoughts and prayers to the
many grieving today, and we continue to pray--thank you for taking us
down that path; we continue to pray for the healing of those who
survived, both their physical pain and their emotional scars. That's
probably the hardest.
We send our gratitude to our first responders. Within minutes, when
minutes counted, when seconds counted, they responded with bravery and
with professionalism.
In the words of this resolution, the Congress ``honors the resilience
of the community of the City of Aurora and the State of Colorado in the
face of such adversity.''
May you feel the support and love and prayers of our Nation. May
those tragically taken from us be honored and remembered. May time heal
our grief.
I hope it is a comfort to those who are affected by this tragedy, who
lost loved ones, or have injuries in their families, that so many
people throughout the world mourn their loss and are praying for them
at this sad time.
{time} 0950
General Leave
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. 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 House Concurrent
Resolution 134.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I again inquire about the balance of
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter)
has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr.
Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from Colorado, who has been so
involved and so eloquent in expressing the grief that his constituents
share, as have been all the Members from Colorado on either side of the
aisle who have come together to share this grief.
Mr. Speaker, when tragedy of this kind strikes, our hearts go out to
those whose lives were cut short and to those who lost loved ones. In
the aftermath of this shooting, we have seen both an outpouring of love
and support for the victims and their families and a quickness to point
out what might have been done differently. That is our nature as
Americans--always seeking answers, searching for corrective action, for
a measure of logic amid the irrational.
But the first question we ought to ask and is already being asked is:
How can we draw closer as a community? Not just the community of
Aurora, but the community of Americans.
As President Obama said on Friday:
If there's anything to take away from this tragedy, it's
the reminder that life is very fragile. And what matters at
the end of the day is not the small things; ultimately, it's
how we choose to treat one another and how we love one
another.
I would add it is also how we commit to live with one another as
neighbors.
We may not share the same faith or politics or philosophy, but we do
share a fundamental belief that our people should feel safe in our
theaters and malls and schools, in their homes and on the streets--
wherever they go. And, today, we share the pain of the people of
Aurora.
But we also share in the hope that the city whose name is the
``dawn'' will find in our sympathy and prayers the comfort it needs
during this dark hour to begin the process of healing and to believe
again in a brighter tomorrow.
Mr. PERLMUTTER. I would just like to end, Mr. Speaker, by thanking my
friends--and they are my friends--and colleagues from Colorado.
From all of us, Aurora and everybody who has been so affected by this
senseless act, we are praying for you. We love you.
This act actually affected people from one coast to the other. A lot
of people from all over the Nation were there. In fact, at the time,
from a nearby military base, there were 53 members of our military--
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines--who were in that theater that
night. This is something that touches us all, something that we will
all remember. We will heal. Let's hope and pray something like this
doesn't happen again.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Sense To Find . . .
(By Albert Carey Caswell)
The . . .
The sense to find . . .
As now we so ask why?
So ask why?
All in our hearts and minds . . .
Hearts and minds!
As the tears we find . . .
We find!
All because of this most evil crime . . .
For all of those most precious lost lives . . .
Lost lives!
And for all of those injured who must now so rebuild their
lives!
The tears we find!
As all of those smiles so come to mind . . .
And all of that pain these families must now so carry until
the end of time!
Of all of those lost loved ones and their most precious lost
lives!
Precious lives!
As it's here we so ask why?
Ask why?
For where does the answer lie?
So lie!
All in that old age question, that rhyme!
Of Good versus Evil, as old as mankind!
Goodness . . . Evil . . . Darkness . . . Light!
This battle, this endless fight!
To bring the light!
As we so ask why?
Ask why?
All in your hearts this night!
Take these words of hope to but bring the light!
That still, the darkness is but no match for The Light!
For The Light!
For hope and love, will ever so rise above all of this
blight!
This blight!
Let not all in your pain and heartache, let not escape!
The strength to so find!
For hate is hard!
It makes me cry!
When, I see those tears in your families' eyes!
As we so try to the sense to find . . .
To find!
But, take comfort all in your hearts and minds . . .
Hearts and minds!
All in your souls now so very deep down inside!
As up to Heaven, all of these twelve innocent souls have now
so taken flight!
Taken flight!
To Heaven find, to become Angels with our Lord on high!
As all in our Lord's arms they now so lie!
This very night!
As from your most swollen eyes the tears you now so wipe!
So wipe!
So find the sense to find!
[[Page H5302]]
And say a prayer for all of them,
and all of those, and their loved ones who now so cry!
So cry!
Whose pain shall not so die!
So die!
And somehow find the strength,
all in what their short lives so meant!
All in the hope and light,
that over evil . . . the goodness so burns bright!
Burns bright!
To the sense to find,
upon this very night!
The sense to find!
As we lay their sacred bodies so down to rest!
Amen!
Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 134 and in
support of the greater Denver community in the wake of the Aurora,
Colorado tragedy.
Twelve lives have been lost, 58 injured, and countless others
affected by the shooting in Aurora, Colorado on July 20, 2012.
This horrible crime reminds us that our time here is short, and that
while we cannot always prevent senseless acts of violence, families,
friends and neighbors can come together as a community to honor those
we have lost, celebrate those who are still with us, and resolve to do
all we can to prevent future violence.
The Aurora community has exemplified this spirit of resiliency in the
wake of tragedy, and is truly an inspiration for all of us.
While we know not every senseless act of violence can be avoided, we
can--and must--work every day to treat each other with decency and
genuine respect.
And I hope that this act of violence will not just sit on a page in
our history books, but be a catalyst for the important conversations we
have avoided all too long.
There is more that we can do to protect our families and communities
from gun violence.
There is more that we can do to support our mental health care
systems--both to avert future violence and to support those who are
touched by it.
And there is more that we can do to create a culture of tolerance and
understanding.
We stand together across our nation, knowing we are not grieving
alone, and that others share our outrage at violent actions and violent
rhetoric.
As the Denver community heals from this senseless tragedy, please
know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 134
to condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous atrocities that
occurred in Aurora, Colorado.
But future generations will condemn us if sole response to this
massacre is the passage of this resolution.
As we watch the news from Colorado with horror and sympathy for the
families, we should remember that each day more than 80 Americans are
killed by gunfire, unnecessary tragedies. Arguments that gun safety
legislation won't help the situation seem to me illogical or blindly
ideological.
Earlier this week we held a moment of silence for the victims and
their families. I hope Congress does not remain silent about the many
things we can do to try to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the
future. We must increase our attention to mental health issues, we must
support our local first responders with the tools and resources they
need, and we must implement real and sensible gun control measures.
Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn the unspeakable
acts that were carried out in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, on
July 20, 2012.
I offer condolences on behalf of myself and the people of Texas
District 11 to the innocent men, women, and children and their families
who were victims of this cowardly act.
While the pain and anguish continues, the people of Aurora should
know they are not alone in this time of suffering. The hearts,
thoughts, and prayers of the people of Texas are with them.
The Lord's words can provide comfort in times of tragedy. I am
reminded of Psalms 34, which says, ``The Lord is close to the
brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.'' It is my
fervent prayer that the Lord will be a constant comfort to the victims
and families and that he will hold them close to him as he begins to
heal their wounds in body and spirit.
May the Lord bless them with comfort in the face of senseless tragedy
and peace in the face of unanswerable questions.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, July 25, 2012, the
previous question is ordered.
The question is on the concurrent resolution.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________