[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2819-S2820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr. Jones):
  S. 1442. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 to strengthen school security; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, as we pause this week to remember the 10 
people who lost their lives and the 13 people who were wounded 1 year 
ago, we should reflect on what has changed but also on what still needs 
to be done to stop this epidemic of mass shootings and school 
shootings, in particular.
  Last year I was very proud that Congress authorized nearly $1 billion 
in school safety funding--legislation that I was a cosponsor of. That 
is nearly $1 billion that schools can use to improve school safety, 
including hardening doors so that shooters can't shoot through the 
school doors anymore, shrinking the number of entrances and exits, 
installing metal detectors, and hiring armed police officers to keep 
our kids safe. That was an important first step, but we need to do 
more.
  That is why I am reintroducing this week two important bills. First, 
I am reintroducing legislation to authorize more funding for school 
safety and to enable greater targeting of the felons and fugitives who 
try to buy firearms illegally. If a felon or fugitive tries to purchase 
a firearm illegally, that felon or fugitive should be prosecuted and 
they should be put in Federal jail.
  In 2013, my first year in the Senate, I introduced legislation with 
my friend Senator Grassley from Iowa to create a gun crime task force 
at the Federal Department of Justice to ensure that Federal convictions 
are in the national database and to direct the Department of Justice to 
prosecute the felons and fugitives who try to illegally buy guns and to 
put them in jail before they can take the lives of more innocents. 
Sadly, cynically, Senate Democrats filibustered that legislation. They 
prevented it from passing into law by demanding a 60-vote threshold.
  In light of the tragedies of Santa Fe, Parkland, and Highlands Ranch 
High School, just last week, I urge my colleagues to join me in making 
this commonsense bill law in this Congress. Let's direct law 
enforcement resources to stop violent criminals before they commit more 
heinous murders.
  I am also reintroducing the bipartisan School Security Enhancement 
Act with Democratic Senator Doug Jones, which would allow local 
communities to utilize student support and academic enrichment grants 
to reinforce school safety infrastructure and technology. Installing 
metal detectors, bulletproof doors and windows, and establishing an 
efficient system for communicating important information to law 
enforcement and to parents are all important steps in improving school 
safety.
  I hope we can join together and pass these bills so that our students 
are safer, and so we can do more to prevent future mass shootings.
  What happened in Santa Fe a year ago was a tragedy. On the night of 
the shooting, there was a candlelight prayer vigil in the community at 
a public park in downtown Santa Fe. Even as you saw families grieving 
and in unspeakable agony, and their hearts breaking, you also saw 
people coming together. When I was at the vigil that night, as you wept 
and mourned with students and parents experiencing the ultimate agony, 
you saw at the same time students and parents in the community leaning 
on each other, holding each other, holding each other up, praying 
alongside each other, praying with each other, and giving thanks for 
the heroism and strength. I think that is the only way a community 
makes it out of a tragedy like that.
  The last year has been an extremely difficult year for the Santa Fe 
families and the community. That morning is indelibly marked onto that 
community. At the same time, they have been able to lean on each other, 
to rely on each other, to support each other, and to lift each other up 
in prayer.

[[Page S2820]]

  I want to conclude by saying to the families in Santa Fe: We are with 
you. We support you. We love you, and we are there for you.
  To my colleagues in Congress, we need to unite together to make our 
schools safer, to prosecute felons and fugitives before they commit 
acts of murder, and to do everything to stop this horrific mass 
shooting epidemic. We need to do it now. End the partisan battles. 
Focus on the bad guys, and stop them before more lives and innocents 
are taken.
                                 ______