[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7163-H7164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE OCTOBER 1 SHOOTING IN LAS VEGAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nevada (Mr. Kihuen) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KIHUEN. Mr. Speaker, it has been 297 days since the worst mass 
shooting in U.S. history.
  On October 1, 2017, 58 people were senselessly murdered at the 
Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, in my hometown, and more than 500 
people were injured.
  I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember going to 
Sunrise

[[Page H7164]]

Hospital and seeing 194 victims who had been shot or injured.
  Since October 1, I have come to the House floor 58 times to honor 
each of the victims and to share their stories. For the last 9 months, 
my colleagues have listened to 58 separate speeches, and have looked at 
the pictures of the 58 victims. These stories have been met with 
silence by the majority.
  Since October 1, members of the Nevada delegation have asked to, at 
least, hold a hearing on bump stocks, the device that contributed to 
the massive carnage in Las Vegas. Our letters have been met with 
silence by the majority.
  Since October 1, Democrats, and a few Republicans, have introduced no 
less than 30 bills to combat gun violence in our country, yet these 
bills have been met with silence by the majority.
  Since October 1, there have been more mass shootings in the U.S., 
including at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas; at 
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and at the 
Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. These mass shootings have been 
met with silence by the majority.
  At what point are my colleagues in Congress going to stop being 
silent?
  At what point are they going to say: We have to do something; we have 
to take action?
  The United States is in the middle of a gun epidemic. Every day, 96 
Americans, Mr. Speaker, are killed by gun violence. Americans are 25 
times more likely to be murdered with a gun than people in other 
developed countries.
  Americans can no longer feel safe at churches, concerts, movie 
theaters, work, military bases, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping 
malls, grocery stores, baseball fields, congressional baseball fields, 
and, even worse, our children are no longer safe at school.
  Since 2009, there have been 288 school shootings in the U.S. Today, 
little kids are afraid to wear light-up shoes to school because a 
gunman could see them when they have to hide for their life.
  From the time of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook to the mass shooting 
at Parkland, the House of Representatives has held more than 40 moments 
of silence related to gun violence. However, in that same time, the 
majority refuses to consider any real piece of legislation, hold any 
hearings, or take any action that could reduce this gun violence 
epidemic.

                              {time}  1045

  And despite bipartisan support in this body to ban bump stocks, 
implement universal background checks, limit high-capacity magazines, 
or ban assault weapons, my colleagues say that nothing can be done to 
prevent gun violence in America. If that is true, why is the United 
States the only developed country that has this problem?
  The truth is we can do something. We can take action. My Republican 
colleagues can put the American gun lobby first and the NRA and gun 
manufacturers, but the American people come first. We have to listen to 
the American people. We can pass bipartisan and commonsense solutions 
to prevent more shootings and to save more lives.
  To my fellow Nevadans and Americans, I want you to know that, despite 
these roadblocks, we will keep fighting. Every day there are people 
here in Congress working tirelessly to make our country safer. Every 
day we are moved by your rallying cries and your stories; and every 
day, we will fight to end the gun violence epidemic in the United 
States.

                          ____________________