[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 171 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



             Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting Anniversary

  Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, this is a difficult anniversary for 
people in Nevada and across the country. Tomorrow marks 4 years since 
the Route 91 Harvest Festival attack. And on that day 4 years ago, 
thousands attended a concert on a late summer night in my hometown of 
Las Vegas. They were at the festival to enjoy an evening with friends 
and loved ones.
  Fifty-eight of them never made it home. I will never forget waiting 
with families at the Reunification Center in Las Vegas, where they 
braced themselves for the worst possible news.
  Two more people have died of their wounds since the attack. Over 800 
people were injured in the shooting and in the chaos that followed, as 
people fled for safety. And countless members of our community are 
still dealing with the emotional scars left by the violence of that 
night.
  For those hundreds of concertgoers and for their loved ones, 1 
October is a lingering presence--one that can return in a rush at the 
faintest reminder, like the sound of sirens or fireworks.
  The day remains the deadliest mass shooting in modern American 
history.
  While a nightmare unfolded around them, hundreds of people sprang 
into action to save lives, even at the risk of their own. Brave first 
responders rushed to the scene to direct people to safety and transport 
the wounded. Healthcare workers jumped into action. Ordinary Nevadans 
stood in line for hours in the days after the shooting to give blood to 
those in need. And businesses all over the State and country provided 
every imaginable support, from food to blankets, to airline tickets.
  I think about that contrast every time I think of October 1, 2017, 
between the darkness of the circumstances and the light of our 
community coming together in the aftermath. In the midst of terror and 
heartbreak, a whole city, a State, a country of people showed up to 
help one another. And I am so proud of Nevadans, whose first response 
to tragedy was to help their community heal these painful wounds.
  On that horrible night and the days after, every selfless act, large 
or small, made a difference. From bystanders who turned their pickup 
trucks into ambulances, to the thousands of Nevadans who put ``Vegas 
Strong'' signs in their windows to show survivors that they weren't 
alone, Nevadans came together to help.
  Now, we cannot undo the terrible actions or tragic events, but we can 
always do something to lessen the weight of these events. And even 
though years have passed, we still owe it to everyone touched by this 
tragedy to continue moving through our grief toward healing, and there 
is still so much that we can do.
  Every time we reminisce about those we have lost, we help their loved 
ones keep the memories alive. With every donation to the memorial 
scholarships, we honor those affected by the shooting. We help 
survivors deal with the impact of this tragedy when we talk about the 
mental health toll that the shooting has taken and when we work to 
decrease the stigma around mental health issues.
  I have consistently worked to expand treatment options for mental 
health and substance use issues, and I will keep pushing in the Senate 
to support life-changing care for those facing mental health 
challenges.
  We make it better when we advocate for commonsense laws to prevent 
gun violence as well, like the ones we have passed in Nevada.
  It is unbelievable that I am standing here on the Senate floor 4 
years after I first spoke about this tragedy and that we still have not 
been able to pass background checks and commonsense gun safety 
measures.
  The majority of Americans are with us. We need to act because Las 
Vegas deserves it and so do communities all across the Nation. We 
cannot continue to stand by as mass attacks and shootings take a tragic 
toll all over the United States.
  To the people of Las Vegas who continue to grapple with the pain we 
experienced on that day, know that I am with you. We will continue to 
work to create a permanent memorial at the site of the shooting to be a 
tangible reminder of what we know; that even in the darkest times--
especially in the darkest times--we can come together to help one 
another and we can make a difference.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.