[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 82 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2219-H2220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 49) to designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912
South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 49
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL.
(a) In General.--The Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South
Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, is designated as the
``National Pulse Memorial''.
(b) Effect of Designation.--The national memorial
designated by this section is not a unit of the National Park
System and the designation of the National Pulse Memorial
shall not require or permit Federal funds to be expended for
any purpose related to that national memorial.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Soto) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise, along with Representative Demings and
Representative Murphy from central Florida, in strong support of our
bill, H.R. 49.
Nearly 5 years ago, 49 angels lost their lives and 53 others were
injured when a deranged gunman opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in
Orlando, Florida.
You can see here photos of those who we lost, lives cut short.
This horrific act of hate and terror against our LGBTQ and Latino
community, African-American community, and Anglo community could have
divided us, but we came together stronger than ever before.
Orlando swore as a community to never forget those we lost that
night. Their stories, their images, their memories, and their spirits
must live on in our hearts.
We were all there for vigils in Orlando, where the bell rang 49 times
for those angels we lost, and I am honored to say, across this Nation
and all 50 States, and many countries, we saw vigils also recognizing
it, which is why it is so critical that this is a national memorial,
because it was truly a national and international tragedy.
To honor the fallen and survivors of this tragedy, I join my
colleagues to introduce landmark legislation to designate the Pulse
nightclub as a federally recognized national memorial site. This
designation as a nonaffiliated National Park Service national memorial
would not require Federal funds, but it would honor the 49 lives taken
on June 12, 2016, as well as the survivors, the first responders who so
heroically came to the rescue of so many others, and the entire central
Florida community.
Together, we will open minds and hearts. We will make the Pulse
Memorial a national symbol of hope, love, and change.
I would like to, again, thank my amazing colleagues, Congresswoman
Val Demings and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, for joining me in
leading this important legislation, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 49, offered by my
colleague from Florida (Mr. Soto).
Nearly 5 years ago, on June 12, 2016, a senseless and horrific mass
shooting was perpetrated by an ISIS-inspired coward at the Pulse
nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In the attack, 49 innocent people were
killed and 53 were wounded.
This bill, and the number H.R. 49, is a thoughtful tribute to the 49
individuals killed in the attack. In the aftermath of the unspeakable
tragedy at Pulse, the owner of the club established a nonprofit called
the onePULSE Foundation to memorialize those who died in the mass
murder, known as the 49.
The foundation worked quickly to establish an interim memorial in
Orlando and has been working to build a permanent Pulse memorial and
museum, which will be completed in coming years.
This bill would redesignate the Pulse Memorial in Orlando, Florida,
as the ``National Pulse Memorial.'' The bill makes clear that this
memorial will not be a unit of the National Park System and that
designation as a national memorial does not require any Federal funds
to be expended.
The House's action on this bill today complements the United States
Senate resolution passed on June 11, 2020, honoring the victims of this
tragedy, as well as the State of Florida's designation of June 12 as
Pulse Remembrance Day.
Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr. Westerman
from Arkansas, for his bipartisan support.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings).
Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to
join us in supporting H.R. 49 to finally designate the Pulse nightclub
as a national memorial in honor and remembrance of the 49 people who
lost their lives on this tragic night 5 years ago.
``Orlando Strong'' is more than just a slogan. It is a promise to
support each other and to never forget those we lost and those who were
injured on that tragic night. By establishing Pulse as a national
memorial, we will honor their memories and remind ourselves of that
promise.
My bishop once called the Pulse nightclub a place for late-night
fellowship, a place for fun, laughter, family, and friendship. These
are such fundamental things. We know this now more than ever. After the
pandemic, we see just how precious these things truly are.
Madam Speaker, I thank the House for moving forward with this
legislation. I thank my constituents. I thank the cosponsors,
Congresswoman Murphy and Congressman Soto, for their work to make this
day a reality.
[[Page H2220]]
As we pass this legislation, I know that the memories of those who
died will live on in our hearts. They will not be defined by their
tragic deaths through gun violence but by the lives they lived, the
people they touched, and the love they gave.
Paraphrasing Dr. King: So I decided as an individual to stick with
love because, yes, hate is too great of a burden to bear, and it has
been on me, my community, my city, and my Nation for too long.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for joining us in supporting
this legislation.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Soto) for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 49 to designate
the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial site and to honor those
whose lives were taken by a gunman with hate in his heart.
{time} 1330
I thank the gentleman for his leadership and his response with H.R.
49 along with Congresswoman Murphy. I visited with Mr. Soto in Florida
near Orlando and actually toured the Pulse nightclub site, and what a
poignant visitation that was.
Almost 5 years ago, the Nation awoke to the heartbreaking news of a
mass shooting that unfolded at a nightclub in Orlando. Forty-nine lives
were taken, and 53 others were injured. It was another devastating loss
to the LGBTQ-plus community and our Nation.
The gunman had targeted Pulse nightclub, a nightclub frequented by
Orlando's Latino and LGBTQ-plus communities. This was a safe place for
many of the people who were there that night. The shooter violated a
safe space where LGBTQ people, and, in this case, LGBTQ-plus people of
color were able to be themselves and to live and dance freely without
fear or judgment.
Our community--that is, the LGBTQ-plus community--is still healing
from this attack, and families and friends are still mourning the loss
of their loved ones. I will never forget waking up in my Washington,
D.C. apartment as I was scrolling through the news, and I was just in
disbelief that another shooting had occurred. Since then, we have had
so many other senseless shootings.
By designating the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial site, we
can always remember the vibrant lives of those we lost. This memorial
will serve as a reminder that we cannot stop fighting for equality.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R.
49.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California, Chair
Takano, for taking the pilgrimage to the Pulse Memorial, along with me
and others and listening and paying respects. So I appreciate that.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Five years ago, 49 people were murdered in a violent, hate-filled, mass
shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando, the Pulse nightclub. I thank
Congressman Soto for his leadership and our colleagues, Congresswoman
Murphy and Congresswoman Demings. I, too, had the opportunity to go to
the site and to read the beautiful notes written about the young lives
that were taken that night, and the very special place that Pulse was.
I was, in fact, in Florida this weekend with Barbara Poma, the owner
of the Pulse nightclub, who was leading an effort to turn this site
into not only a sacred place, but a museum. I shared with her what for
young LGBTQ people nightclubs were and still are, a place of sanctuary,
a safe place where people can be themselves where they go to dance, to
be with friends, and to share a sense of community. That was all
shattered by the brutality of the events of the evening in which this
occurred.
This shooting was an act of terror and an act of hate. It left the
Nation really grasping for answers. In the days that followed, we heard
stories of incredible courage, bravery, and resolve. But mostly, there
was unspeakable pain for those who lost someone in this attack.
Although I pray that the passage of 5 years has brought some measure
of relief, the truth is that their pain will never fully go away. It is
critical to designate this memorial today so that our country never
forgets those who were lost. Congressman Soto will remember we had on
the steps of the Capitol a beautiful remembrance with full-sized
photographs of each of these young people who had so much to give and
so much to offer whose lives were taken that night.
But in addition to remembering, it is also important that we take
action to do everything we can to make sure that nothing like this ever
happens again. Individuals who are convicted of hate crimes should
never own a gun, and that is why I plan to reintroduce the Disarm Hate
Act to do just that, because we know if you commit a hate crime, it
often escalates and those crimes become increasingly violent as time
goes on. No American family should have to suffer because of the
loophole that currently exists today. Let's disarm hate once and for
all.
Today, we remember the 49 young lives lost at the Pulse nightclub in
Orlando. Let's be sure that we designate this memorial officially, so
that everyone will know the story of what happened to these young
people who were killed because they were in a place of sanctuary, and
safety, and community, but because they were members of the LGBTQ
community, our allies.
Madam Speaker, I thank again the gentleman for yielding and for his
incredible leadership on this issue, and I urge all my colleagues to
vote ``yes.''
Mr. WESTERMAN. I reserve the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr.
Cicilline) for making the pilgrimage and paying his respects at the
memorial.
Madam Speaker, at this time, I have no further requests for time, and
I would inquire whether my colleague has any remaining speakers on his
side.
Mr. WESTERMAN. In closing, Madam Speaker, again, I urge adoption of
H.R. 49, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member, the gentleman
from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and our colleagues across the aisle for
their bipartisan support of this really important bill for our Nation.
I thank also Representatives Demings, Murphy, Cicilline, and Takano for
their support here today.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 49.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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