[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                              PERRY STRONG

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa 
(Mr. Nunn) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NUNN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart, just 2 weeks 
after the horrific violence that ripped through the small town of 
Perry, Iowa.
  On the morning of Thursday, January 4, students woke up and returned 
to school after their winter break. They did not know what that day 
would entail. Before school had started, some students arrived for a 
breakfast program just before 8:00 a.m., and reports of shots rang 
throughout the school. Law enforcement rushed to Perry High School.
  The violence that day left four students wounded, the death of sixth 
grader Ahmir Jolliff, and now, most recently, the life of Perry High 
School Principal Dan Marburger. The Butler family also lost their son 
that day.
  Like many Iowans, when I first heard the news, I was angry. No 
parent, no child, no teacher should ever have to wonder if it is safe 
to be able to go to school. We have a duty, a sacred oath, to protect 
our children, our families, and our educators.
  In addition, no family and no parent should ever have to feel the 
pain that Ahmir's mother, Erica, felt that day when she learned that 
her 11-year-old son, Mr. Smiley, had been shot and killed simply for 
going to school.
  Ahmir was an incredible kid. His mother shares that he loved soccer, 
played the tuba, and sang in a choir. Most importantly, that day, he 
got up excited to go back to school because he wanted to see his 
friends and his teachers.
  This past weekend, this horrible attack claimed another life, 
Principal Dan Marburger. The multiple injuries Dan sustained were a 
result of his truly heroic effort to save his students. Dan was a 
loving father, a grandfather, a husband, a son, and a great educator.
  He worked in the Perry School District since 1995, but when Dan heard 
the danger happening in his school, when others fled, when he could 
have run to save his immediate staff, he swarmed toward the danger, and 
there is no doubt that his actions saved lives.
  Perhaps no one could share the story of Principal Marburger better 
than his own daughter, Claire, who said: As many of you know, Dad is a 
gentle giant, an amazing dad, just an amazing person. When I heard of a 
gunman, I instantly had a feeling my dad would be a victim, as he would 
put himself in harm's way for the benefit of kids and his staff. It is 
absolutely zero surprise to hear that he tried to approach and talk 
Dylan down and distract him long enough for some students to get out of 
the cafeteria, because that is just Dad.
  There is no doubt he saved many lives through his selfless action. 
His legacy will live on through many students that he both mentored and 
educated, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten--not in Iowa, not 
in America.
  Today, while our hearts mourn over this tragedy, we will be there for 
our community.
  In the evening and days that followed the violence, we heard of 
students who helped each other get to safety. We learned the story of a 
kind stranger who drove an injured student, fleeing from the school 
riddled with bullets, to a hospital to help get treatment.
  Going forward, we learned of law enforcement who were able to be on 
the scene within minutes, helping to protect even more students and 
securing the school quickly. We learned of doctors, nurses, medical 
professionals, and an incredible Life Flight crew who landed on the 
Perry High School football field to shuttle those casualties and those 
wounded to trauma centers across the State from this rural community. 
We learned of all who worked tirelessly to help those who were injured. 
We also heard the stories of vigils and community gatherings in the 
days that followed the shooting.
  As we continue to move forward, now is the time for healing, a time 
to ensure that our communities are safe, our kids feel confident to 
return to class, and that families and educators know that Iowa has 
their backs.
  We all have a responsibility to ensure safety for our students, and 
that begins with mental health, preventing youth suicide, hardening our 
schools, and ensuring our law enforcement and our schools are prepared 
to respond when these violent acts occur. Together, we have led on 
this, but there is more work to be done.
  From this tragedy, there are lessons learned. These lifesaving 
actions that took place at Perry High School must be shared across the 
country, and I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in learning 
from this horrible event so that we can save lives into the future.
  Mr. Speaker, these are hard days ahead of us, and much work remains 
to be done, but we will get through this together, because, today, we 
are all Perry strong.

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