[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 213 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7168-H7169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
          EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SHOOTING

  (Mrs. HAYES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of the 26 
beautiful lives that were lost on December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook 
Elementary School.
  Mr. Speaker, 8 years ago, 20 innocent children and six selfless 
educators were murdered in what should have been the safest places in 
their community: their school.
  Today, I ask that we pause, reflect, remember, and recommit ourselves 
to working to ensure that this never happens again.
  For many residents of Newtown, Connecticut, 8 years feels like 
yesterday. Time has stood still for so many families as they attempt to 
rebuild their

[[Page H7169]]

community and honor the precious memory of their children and 
educators.
  Mr. Speaker, much needs to be done to ensure that our schools and 
communities are safe places. We owe it to the 26 families from Sandy 
Hook to work together to make this happen. We owe it to the over 38,000 
people who will die each year from gun violence to do better. We owe it 
to the 50 million people who are affected by mental health challenges 
each year. We owe it to ourselves, because we are capable of creating 
change.
  Mr. Speaker, today, we honor, remember, and reflect, and then we get 
back to work.

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