[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 81 (Thursday, May 17, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SHARING STUDENTS' `MARCH FOR OUR LIVES' REMARKS

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                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 17, 2018

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, on May 9, I came to the Floor and spoke about 
the March For Our Lives on March 24 and the nine extraordinarily poised 
students in Morristown, New Jersey, who spoke at the rally there, which 
I attended. I include in the Record remarks by Mia Paone. I hope my 
colleagues will read them and internalize the sense of fear in which 
our nation's students are living every day--and our responsibility as 
Members of Congress to do something to address this crisis of gun 
violence.

               March for Our Lives' Remarks by Mia Paone

       Hello marchers! My name is Mia Paone, and I am a sophomore 
     at Chatham High School. I am not old enough to vote yet, but 
     I am old enough to speak out against gun violence. I will not 
     be silent.
       I am taking a stand to change our gun laws, and I need all 
     of you to join me. Silence is not neutrality. Silence will 
     lead to more deaths from school shootings and other gun 
     violence. I am here to speak for those silenced too soon.
       For the young kids at Sandy Hook. For the concert goers in 
     Las Vegas. For the students from Parkland, the same age as 
     me. I don't want to live in a world where we have to find 
     hiding spots and ways to block the door in our classrooms. In 
     my school, a week after the Parkland Shooting, a power outage 
     occurred. Many of my friends and other students feared the 
     worst; that we were next, because these tragedies have sadly 
     become too routine. Why have no laws been passed to make us 
     safer? Why is it easier to get a gun than it is to get a 
     driver's license? Too many of us are silent.
       It is time for us to stand up. It is time for us to speak 
     out. If we want a change in laws, we need to change our 
     actions. Write letters to Members of Congress. Participate in 
     school walkouts and . . . walk in marches! Run for Congress 
     or local office. If you are too young to run, volunteer for a 
     candidate who is running. Register 18-year-olds to vote, and 
     encourage registered voters to show up on Election Day.
       The youngest generation of eligible voters has the lowest 
     voter turnout. We live in a democracy. Our senators and 
     representatives should be responsive to our opinions. If they 
     are not, it's our job to elect candidates who are. If they do 
     not listen, vote them out!
       Our generation's voter turnout must increase if we want 
     leaders who will take action to reduce gun violence and gun 
     deaths. And if you are like me, not yet old enough to vote 
     but want to impact change, have faith. Just because we're in 
     high school doesn't mean we can't make a difference.
       Two weeks ago, on the day of the walkout, my history class 
     was learning about the Civil Rights movements of the 1960's. 
     Many of those events were organized by high school and 
     college students. If they could do it, why can't we? It is 
     our job as the upcoming generation of voters, leaders, and 
     activists to make clear that when we believe something needs 
     to be changed, we will not be silent.
       We will not stand down. We will stand up, stand together, 
     and we will not stop speaking out until our voices are heard.

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