[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3251-S3252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Highland Park Shooting

  Mr. President, earlier this week, I introduced the Senate and those 
who follow our proceedings to an 8-year-old boy who lives in Highland 
Park, IL. His name is Cooper Roberts. He is a twin. His twin brother's 
name is Luke.
  Cooper and Luke and Mom and Dad decided a few days ago--last weekend, 
as a matter of fact--to attend the Fourth of July parade in Highland 
Park. It was a natural choice: beautiful day, salute to our country, a 
parade passing by, American flags, in one of the nicest communities in 
the State of Illinois.
  We all know what happened that day: A shooter took an assault-style 
weapon to the roof of a downtown business and, in a matter of a minute 
or two, discharged 90 rounds into the crowd. As a result of that 
gunfire, Cooper Roberts, this 8-year-old boy, was left paralyzed after 
being shot in the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting. He 
has undergone a series of surgeries since.
  I tell this story on the floor of the Senate for two reasons: The 
family has spoken to the press and been open about Cooper's struggle, 
and I am glad they have because he has a cheering section now that has 
reached far beyond Illinois and is around the Nation, and secondly, 
because this poor little boy's situation is a reflection on what 
assault rifles can do to the human body.
  I am not an expert on firearms. I don't pretend to be. But I watch 
programs and have read a lot on the subject, and I know that the 
assault rifles--the AR-15 and those in that same class--are not your 
ordinary firearms. They discharge their bullets and ammunition at two 
to three times the velocity of an ordinary firearm, and when that 
ammunition hits the body of a person, it starts tumbling and tearing 
apart the body as it goes through.
  Cooper, this 8-year-old boy, had his spinal cord severed by a bullet, 
leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Sadly, the family reported 
yesterday that he is back in critical condition at the University of 
Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital. He showed some improvement last 
Friday, but things are not going well--at least they weren't yesterday, 
according to his family.
  The bullet which entered this little boy's abdomen injured his liver, 
his abdominal aorta, and his esophagus near his stomach. A hole in the 
esophagus was sewn shut by surgery, the family has said. Well, they 
reported yesterday that Cooper's esophagus has reopened,

[[Page S3252]]

in a written update. As a result, he is facing an urgent, complex, and 
lengthy surgery today to again attempt to repair his torn esophagus. 
This will be his seventh surgery since last Fourth of July, and it is 
particularly high risk given his age and his current condition.
  By Tuesday evening, the family provided additional updates, saying 
the doctors were able to find and close the leak in his esophagus. 
``This is a good outcome--Cooper is still fighting,'' the family said. 
The next few days will be critical.
  One of Cooper's lungs is partially collapsed, according to the 
family. His heart rate is elevated, and he is spiking a fever due to a 
new infection and complications he must face.
  Cooper was one of dozens of people shot at the parade. Seven have 
died. An individual is being held on murder charges in the mass 
shooting. Cooper and others in Highland Park were shot with a military-
style Smith & Wesson M&P 15 semiautomatic rifle. For those who weren't 
aware, ``M&P'' in the name of this rifle suggests it is for military 
and police use. But it was purchased by the individual charged with 
these murders, who was neither a member of the military nor police.

  In an interview with WGN-TV in Chicago, Dr. Ana Velez-Rosborough, a 
trauma surgeon who is treating Cooper at Highland Park Hospital, said 
the injuries were ``devastating,'' in her words. ``They create very 
large wounds,'' Velez-Rosborough told the station. ``They basically 
destroy organs. They destroy soft tissue. They destroy bone.''
  Cooper received what we call a massive transfusion--enormous amount 
of blood--in order to keep him alive during the operation. The boy's 
aorta injury was so severe that a portion of it was removed and 
replaced with a synthetic graft, according to the family.
  The family is praying for a miracle that this little boy survives. We 
should join them in that prayer, but we need to go beyond that.
  Yesterday, Senator Duckworth and I had a meeting with residents from 
Highland Park who, on their own, spontaneously came to Washington to 
plead with Congress to do something about these military-style weapons 
that are being sold in the United States and did such devastating 
damage to this beautiful little boy. Joining those from Highland Park 
was a group from Uvalde, TX. They certainly know this story 
individually and personally. They lost 19 kids at their grade school. 
They came in with pictures of prayer cards from the funeral parlors. 
The point they were making to us and to everyone is that this is 
madness. To allow individuals to have this type of weapon who are not 
members of the military, not policemen, and to use these weapons on 
other Americans is unthinkable.
  What in the world is America thinking to believe this has something 
to do with a constitutional right? A constitutional right? What were 
Cooper's constitutional rights to go to a parade on the Fourth of July 
in Highland Park and come home safely? Where was the respect for them? 
And, of course, when you are discharging 90 rounds into a crowd, it is 
a wonder even more people weren't injured.
  I bring this to the attention of the Senate because--I raised it 
earlier in the week--I think it is time for us to focus on the reality 
of mass shooting in America. While this was going on in Highland Park, 
that same weekend, dozens were being shot and some killed in the city 
of Chicago and cities across America.
  It is impossible for me to believe that we can do nothing to deal 
with this. The families from Highland Park and Uvalde, TX, were shaking 
their heads as I explained to them the problems with the filibuster 
rules in the Senate. Do you think a filibuster rule makes any 
difference to the family of this wonderful little boy? They couldn't 
care less about the rules of the Senate and wonder why the Congress 
can't respond to this clear and present danger in our streets that has 
resulted in over 300 mass shootings this year so far--sadly, more to 
come.
  I said before when I came to the floor, when I left for the Fourth of 
July recess, I had no idea that I was going to personally join this 
fraternity of grief--Senators and Congressmen from cities and towns all 
across America--who have endured these mass shootings, who then have to 
sit down with families in tears and explain to them why their 
Congressman and their Senator can do nothing.
  Well, I refuse to accept that. I believe that we can do something. We 
came to our senses to pass a gun safety bill after Uvalde. I voted for 
it. It didn't touch the issue of these military weapons per se, 
although it did call for deeper background checks for those under the 
age of 21.
  I support that, but let's go further and be honest about this. There 
is no need for anyone to own this military-style weapon, and for it to 
be sold to the average individual, who has no training whatsoever on 
the weapon to prove that he is eligible to own it and who can use this 
weapon under these circumstances which cannot be controlled, is 
unacceptable.
  What would our argument be if someone said: I want to buy a grenade 
launcher. I think I have Second Amendment rights to own one.
  We would say to him: That is ridiculous. Grenades are for war.
  Well, these military weapons are for war as well, and I don't believe 
they should be sold in this country. I believe the military assault 
weapon ban that I voted for in 1994 was the right thing to do. It was a 
10-year ban. We should have extended it. During the period of that ban 
on assault weapons, there was a lot of controversy, but there were far 
fewer deaths from mass shootings. It is an indication of the truth of 
this issue.

  I hope that we continue to tell the story of the victims and their 
families so that our colleagues in the Senate of both political parties 
will come to understand it is time for us to step up, accept our 
responsibilities of office, and protect children like Cooper Roberts.
  (Ms. ROSEN assumed the Chair.)