[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5201-H5203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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CONDEMNING THE MASS SHOOTING IN ISLA VISTA, CALIFORNIA
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 608) condemning the senseless rampage and mass
shooting that took place in Isla Vista, California, on Friday, May 23,
2014, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 608
Whereas on May 23, 2014, a rampage and mass shooting took
place in Isla Vista, California, a community adjacent to the
University of California at Santa Barbara;
Whereas the people of the United States mourn the 6
innocent lives lost in this senseless tragedy, George Chen,
19, Katherine Breann Cooper, 22, Cheng ``James'' Yuan Hong,
20, Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, 20, Weihan ``David''
Wang, 20, Veronika Weiss, 19, all of whom were students at
the University of California, Santa Barbara;
Whereas the people of the United States offer support to
all the victims and their families, and wish the 13 injured
full and speedy recoveries;
Whereas the brave response of law enforcement officials and
other first responders prevented additional losses of life
and further injury; and
Whereas the people of the United States call for a
reduction of violence, deplore mass shootings, and stand with
the survivors: Now, therefore, be it
=========================== NOTE ===========================
June 10, 2014, on page H5201, the following appeared: Whereas
the people of the United States call for a reduction and
prevention of violent acts, deplore mass shootings and gun
violence, and stand with the survivors: Now, therefore, be it
The online version should be corrected to read: Whereas the
people of the United States call for a reduction of violence,
deplore mass shootings, and stand with the survivors: Now,
therefore, be it
========================= END NOTE =========================
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the senseless rampage and mass shooting that
took place in Isla Vista, California, on May 23, 2014;
(2) offers condolences to the entire Isla Vista community
and the University of California, Santa Barbara community, as
well as their families;
(3) recognizes that the healing process will be long and
difficult for the Isla Vista and Santa Barbara communities;
(4) encourages a productive and thoughtful dialogue on all
aspects of this senseless tragedy;
=========================== NOTE ===========================
June 10, 2014, on page H5201, the following appeared: (4)
encourages a productive and thoughtful dialogue on all aspects of
this senseless tragedy including the Nation's mental health care
system, anger, firearms laws, and harmful attitudes towards women;
The online version should be corrected to read: (4) encourages a
productive and thoughtful dialogue on all aspects of this
senseless tragedy;
========================= END NOTE =========================
(5) honors the selfless, dedicated service of the law
enforcement officials and emergency response personnel who
responded to the attack, preventing further loss of life and
injury, and who continue to investigate the attack; and
(6) remains committed to working to help prevent tragedies
like this from happening again.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As many of us know, on May 23, 2014, a mass shooting took place in
Isla Vista, California, a community adjacent to the University of
California, Santa Barbara campus.
The people of the United States will continue to mourn the loss of
six innocent victims and students of the University of California,
Santa Barbara. Each of these students excelled in school and were
looking forward to bright futures.
We will continue to remember the victims: George Chen, 19; Katherine
Breann Cooper, 22; Cheng ``James'' Yuan Hong, 20; Christopher Ross
Michaels-Martinez, 20; Weihan ``David'' Wang, 20; and Veronika Weiss,
19.
Americans everywhere continue to extend their support and sympathy to
the victims, their families, and loved ones, and we wish each of the 13
people injured in the shooting a full and speedy recovery.
I would also like to commend the law enforcement officers and other
first responders for their courage, bravery, and dedication to service.
Their efforts helped to prevent further fatalities and injuries, and we
remain extremely grateful to each of them.
I urge support of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H. Res. 608, introduced by Congresswoman Lois
Capps, which is a bipartisan resolution to offer condolences to the
Isla Vista and University of California, Santa Barbara communities, to
mourn the victims and offer support to their families.
It condemns the senseless rampage and urges a dialogue on ``the
Nation's mental health care system, anger, firearms laws, harmful
attitudes towards women.''
The resolution honors law enforcement and emergency personnel for
their response to the attack and continues the commitment of ``working
to help prevent tragedies like this from happening again.''
The rampage and mass shooting that left six UC Santa Barbara students
dead and 13 others injured in Isla Vista on May 23 was perpetrated by a
deeply troubled man, with violent tendencies, who planned for months to
kill as many as he could before the tragic day unfolded.
Despite warnings from his parents to police and a subsequent law
enforcement check a few weeks before the murders, Elliot Rodger was
able to cleverly ward off police by passing off the warnings as a
``misunderstanding.''
Police said, later, that Rodger did not meet the criteria for an
involuntary hold. He legally purchased more than 400 rounds of
ammunition and three semiautomatic pistols over the course of months
before his rampage.
In the months leading up to the shooting, Elliot Rodger posted
numerous videos and comments on social media sites detailing his
frustrations with women and his hatred of them.
He made such comments as:
My orchestration of the day of retribution is my attempt to
do everything in my power to destroy everything I cannot
have. All of those beautiful girls I've desired so much in my
life, but can never have because they despise and loathe me,
I will destroy.
He said he would also eliminate the men who had better luck with
women than he did.
Rodger, distressingly, joins a long list of mass killers that have
haunted this country in recent years at grim scenes, including Sandy
Hook, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Tucson, a Walmart in Las Vegas, and now in
Oregon, just minutes ago.
Rodger shares three common denominators with these other mass
murderers: easy access to guns, a history of mental illness, and clear
warning signs that he wanted to carry out violent acts. Together, the
five lone killers left a staggering 82 people dead and 114 others
injured and scarred.
The Sandy Hook killer had serious mental health issues. The man who
shot Representative Gabby Giffords had dropped out of school after his
college required a mental health evaluation.
The Virginia Tech killer had been investigated by the university for
stalking and had been declared mentally ill by a Virginia special
justice. The Isla Vista shooter also had a long history of mental
illness.
What it is going to take, colleagues?
Like many other mass shooters, he showed clear signs that he was
extremely dangerous and planned to kill, but these five massacres are
only a fraction of the mass shootings Americans have endured in a short
span.
Between January 2009 and September 2013, there were 93 mass
shootings--almost two per month--that occurred in 35 States, in a
nearly 5-year period.
Is the problem too many guns? Is it mental health? Is it guns in the
wrong hands?
The answer to all these questions is yes. We know what needs to be
done. We may not agree on every solution to reduce gun violence, but
Americans, outraged by our inability to get anything done on this
issue, are waiting for us to come to our senses and to act.
The threshold for taking someone against their will for psychiatric
evaluation needs to be reviewed. Police need better mental health
training. It must become easier to intervene when there are risks.
The prevailing majority of individuals with a mental health problem
aren't violent, but we should have the tools to respond to the smaller
number who show clear violent tendencies and evidence that they are
preparing to act on it.
Richard Martinez, the father of slain 20-year-old Christopher
Michaels-Martinez, tearfully pleaded for people to
[[Page H5202]]
stop feeling sorry for him after the massacre. His words ring in my ear
all the time:
I don't care about your sympathy. I'm going to ask every
person I can find to send a postcard to every politician they
think of with 3 words on it: not one more.
People are looking for something to do. I'm asking people
to stand up for something. Enough is enough.
One more mass killing is too many, and Congress is culpable for not
taking action. We say never again, but it sounds like an empty promise
because we do nothing.
I thank Congresswoman Capps for offering this thoughtful and
important resolution. We need to do so much more, and her bringing this
resolution to our attention gives us the opportunity to draw together
and, hopefully, to come up with something to do.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentlelady from California (Mrs. Capps), my colleague and the author of
the bill.
Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to remember those
who lost their lives and to recognize those who were injured on May 23
in my district in California. The rampage and mass shooting in Isla
Vista rocked this small beachside community.
Again, we mourn those lost--George Chen, ``James'' Yuan Hong, Weihan
``David'' Wang, Katherine Breann Cooper, Christopher Ross Michaels-
Martinez, and Veronika Weiss--and we support the injured as they heal.
Our community grieves, but Isla Vista is a special place and one that
has come together since the tragedy to emerge stronger. We can learn
from their strength.
Unfortunately, Isla Vista joins a long list of those who have grieved
because of mass shootings. Even in the 18 days since this incident,
more communities have joined the list of those who mourn: Seattle,
Chicago, Norfolk, and Las Vegas.
As the father of one of the victims implored:
Enough is enough. Not one more.
That is on my wristband. We must not let the attention fade. We must
not let the drumbeat fall silent. Congress has the power to act, and we
must.
The rampage and shooting that rocked my hometown was, sadly, just one
of many incidents that occur across the Nation.
It is wrong to think we can do nothing to stop this carnage. It is
factually wrong, and it is morally wrong. It is simply not a reflection
of who we are--who Americans are--as a people.
Americans do not simply give up on hard problems. We work together to
find consensus, even though these are thorny, difficult issues.
Greater gun safety and the Second Amendment are not mutually
exclusive. Law-abiding, responsible Americans have the right to own
guns; but each of us should also feel safe in our homes, in our parks,
and in our communities.
The Isla Vista tragedy has shown us that, when warning signs of
violence are seen, we must act, but our communities need the tools to
do so. While we may never be able to prevent each and every single
violent act, it doesn't mean we should do nothing. Our communities
demand that we try.
I share with you my constituent's heartbreaking questions:
They talk about gun rights. What about Chris' right to
live?
So I join the chorus of those who are so rightly frustrated with the
status quo and with this Congress. They have said to our Congress: not
one more.
Today's resolution is an important step in that direction. We must
condemn the violence. We must remember the victims. We must support the
living.
On behalf of my community, thank you, my colleagues and the
communities that you represent, for your prayers. Thank you for your
support during this difficult time. It means a great deal to all of us
on the central coast of California, but let this not be the end of the
conversation.
I am looking forward to working with each of you to do all we can so
that there is not one more. We can act, and we must.
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, Mrs. Capps,
for her strong message.
I yield 5 minutes to my good friend and colleague from California
(Mr. Honda).
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the
words that have been expressed this afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness. My heart goes out to
the families and friends of all the victims killed in the tragic events
of May 23 in Isla Vista, California.
Three of the victims were from my California Congressional District
17. I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of Cheng
``James'' Yuan Hong, George Chen, and Weihan ``David'' Wang. The lives
of these young men were cut short in the senseless tragedy that
happened this past Memorial Day weekend.
``James'' Hong and George Chen--from San Jose--and ``David'' Wang--
from Fremont--were all from immigrant Chinese families. They were all
studying engineering at UC Santa Barbara. I ask everyone to please keep
in your thoughts and prayers these young men and their families.
As we struggle to make sense of what happened, we must seriously
examine our gun laws and ask why people who are mentally disturbed can
continue to possess and obtain firearms.
These acts of violence cannot be allowed to continue. How many more
tragedies must our Nation suffer before Congress acts?
We in Congress promised our Nation we would do better after the
shootings at Sandy Hook, but we have not made good on that promise.
{time} 1315
Instead, the shootings have continued. Just since the Isla Vista
killings on May 23, there have been two more mass shootings.
I am outraged that we have not done more to protect the public from
gun violence. Congress has failed to act. Congress has failed the
American people. It is up to us to pass comprehensive, commonsense gun
laws to prevent these tragic deaths from occurring.
The brutal violence exacted on the victims in Isla Vista, California,
was horrific. What was particularly horrific was the nature in which
those three young men were killed. They were stabbed to death before
the perpetrator went on a shooting spree that claimed the lives of more
victims.
We will always remember those who are no longer with us, but we must
also honor them. We must enact real change to our gun laws to protect
not only the young people but all of our citizens. It is our moral
obligation.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
subject to close, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
I would hate to think that we will have one of these resolutions on
the House floor week after week because we choose to do nothing. There
are 32 people who will die today due to gunshot wounds, and there are
32 who will die tomorrow and 32 the next day. We seem to somehow be
inured to what is going on around us. Let us respect those who have
died and those who have been injured, and let us take steps to do
something this year.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The mentally ill have for too long been able to get guns. Individuals
who have been seen and exposed as being violent or incarcerated for
their mental illnesses have too often become their own victims because
we haven't paid enough attention to their possession of deadly weapons.
This case is different than some because this violent individual also
used knives.
No matter what, I join on a bipartisan basis, urging that, as we look
at a national mental health policy, we include the recognition that it
is in other people's best interests. Of course, there are victims of
these crimes, but too often, the mentally ill kill themselves with a
gun. The mentally ill take their lives. As we look at a terrible
tragedy of murder, let's bear in mind that the real reform that we have
to get to the root of is that of dealing with the mentally ill better
in this country, dealing with the need to take weapons out of their
hands and also the need to provide them real opportunity for care.
[[Page H5203]]
A number of Members of Congress have pieces of legislation that deal
with mental health, and although there has been much discussion about
gun control, this was really a mental health control question before it
was a gun control question.
I urge the passage by all of our Members of this balanced bill that
was authored by my friend, the gentlelady from Santa Barbara (Mrs.
Capps), because it does speak to both problems: the gun problem, of
course--the murder of innocent people--but also the mental health
question.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my colleague from
Santa Barbara and of this resolution.
My heart goes out to the community of Isla Vista, the victims and
their families.
As a father and grandfather, my heart breaks for the families of the
young lives that ended too soon: Christopher Michaels-Martinez,
Veronika Weiss, Katie Cooper, Cheng-Yuan Hong, George Chen, Weihan
Wang.
And I am angry that we're in this situation yet again.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution states that the House of Representatives
remains committed to working to help prevent tragedies like this from
happening ever again.
Some may say that today is not the day to talk about guns, or
violence.
Others may say that weapons are not the problem, and we should focus
our efforts on mental health care.
I say we need to talk about both. The shooter was a mentally ill
young man who had better access to firearms than he did sufficient
mental health care.
We also need to talk about misogyny and its impact on domestic
violence.
These are hard conversations, with no easy answers. But we owe it to
the victims and their families of this and other tragedies to have
these important conversations.
We must speak on behalf of those who can no longer speak. We must not
be afraid to take action.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my sorrow over the
tragedy that occurred on May 23rd in Isla Vista, a community adjoining
the University of California at Santa Barbara, and to add my voice to
the chorus of Americans demanding, ``Not one more.''
My heart goes out to the families of the victims of this senseless
tragedy. The lives of UCSB students George Chen and Cheng `James' Yuan
Hong of San Jose, Weihan `David' Wang, Katherine Breann Cooper,
Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, and Veronika Elizabeth Weiss were
cut far too short. This terrible event has touched not only my
community of San Jose, but my office in DC, which is home to several
Gauchos.
We owe it to these families to act immediately to address gun
violence in our country. Incidents like the one that occurred in Isla
Vista are becoming far too common. I urge my colleagues to support H.
Res. 608 and to commit to action on preventing gun violence.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 608, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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