[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 24, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2909-H2913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING THE ATTACKS ON MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS IN BROOKLYN PARK AND
CHAMPLIN, MINNESOTA, AND CALLING FOR UNITY AND THE REJECTION OF
POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN MINNESOTA AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 519) condemning the attacks on Minnesota lawmakers
in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota, and calling for unity and the
rejection of political violence in Minnesota and across the United
States, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 519
Whereas, on June 14, 2025, a gunman entered the home of
Minnesota State Senator
[[Page H2910]]
John Hoffman and shot and critically injured him and his
wife, Yvette Hoffman;
Whereas the gunman then entered the home of Minnesota State
House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and assassinated her
and her husband Mark Hortman;
Whereas the gunman had documents that listed dozens of
lawmakers targeted for assassination;
Whereas the law enforcement officers of Brooklyn Park and
Champlin saved additional lives by intervening with their
bravery and rapid response to the attack;
Whereas Speaker Emerita Hortman was a formidable public
servant who served her community and the people of Minnesota
with deep devotion, compassion, and strength;
Whereas acts of political violence have no place in the
United States of America and represent a grave threat to our
nation;
Whereas swift condemnation of political violence by elected
officials is necessary to preserve and protect American
democracy;
Whereas when these violent acts expose division, we must
persevere in the pursuit of democratic principles, resolving
our differences through debate and civil discourse; and
Whereas political violence not only attacks the life and
liberty of our representatives, it also attacks the right of
the people to be represented: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives, in this moment
of tragic loss--
(1) strongly condemns and denounces the attacks on
Minnesota state legislators in Brooklyn Park and Champlin,
Minnesota on June 14, 2025;
(2) honors the life of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman for
her devotion to public service and her tireless efforts to
serve the people of Minnesota, and the life of her husband,
Mark Hortman;
(3) honors Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette
Hoffman, who were shot and critically injured, and wishes
their full and speedy recovery;
(4) honors the courageous law enforcement officers who
saved additional lives with their rapid response to the
attack and successfully apprehended and charged the suspected
perpetrator on June 15, 2025;
(5) calls on all community leaders and elected officials to
publicly and unequivocally denounce acts of political
violence; and
(6) calls on all people in the United States to unite in
this moment of pain and tragedy and reaffirm our commitment
to a safe, civil, and peaceful democracy where violent
rhetoric and acts are not tolerated.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
Mr. COMER. Mr. 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 this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on June 14, a horrific tragedy was inflicted on America
and the State of Minnesota.
Early that morning, a deranged assassin ambushed State Senator John
Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, both of whom were shot multiple times at
their home while bravely defending their daughter.
Hours later, the same assassin broke into the residence of Melissa
Hortman and murdered her and her husband, Mark, in cold blood. Melissa
was the former 61st speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
These attacks were not random.
Recent evidence has revealed that they were part of a larger plot the
assailant was planning that appeared to target public servants and
their families across the State.
Such violence has no place in our country, especially political
violence. Today, my colleagues and I firmly condemn these attacks and
all who seek to harm our elected officials, regardless of party or
ideology.
In this country, we resolve our differences through spirited debate,
the ballot box, and by working through an intentionally designed
constitutional system left to us as our Founding Fathers' greatest
legacy.
The victims of this horrible attack were not just politicians. They
were neighbors, parents, sons, and daughters. They believed in this
Nation and their State enough to dedicate their lives to representing
their constituents' interests and the pursuit of positive change.
I am confident that my colleagues share this sentiment and can agree
that no American, whether elected official or private citizen, should
live in fear of being targeted for their beliefs, their vote, or their
service.
I would also like to recognize the valiant effort of law enforcement
in tracking down and capturing the suspect in this case.
Despite knowing the danger the alleged murderer posed, for 40 hours,
officers across numerous departments and agencies worked tirelessly to
locate and stop the killer before he could strike again. Their courage
and professionalism prevented further loss of life, and they deserve
our deepest gratitude.
We stand with the people of Minnesota. We condemn these horrific
attacks and denounce political violence in all its forms as contrary to
the American Constitution and our way of life.
In moments like these, we must all come together to reaffirm our
commitment to protecting the peace and civility that define the America
that I know and love.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank first the entire Minnesota delegation, in
particular Congresswoman Morrison for introducing this important
resolution. This is obviously a very sad time across our country, and
of course our hearts and our prayers go to the family, and everyone
impacted across the State.
I know that the events of June 14 were shocking and heartbreaking.
Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband,
Mark Hortman, were assassinated. Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman
and his wife, Yvette, were critically injured.
I offer my love on behalf of this Congress and those across the
country who have been impacted by these crimes, who have seen these
crimes, and who all reject this political violence.
I want to take this time to thank State, Federal, and local law
enforcement for their tireless work to bring the perpetrator to
justice.
We should be clear: Political violence against anyone is an attack on
our democracy and all of us.
We know that the shooter committed this terrible crime to terrorize
and intimidate. He intended to spread his hate and violence toward many
more public servants. The gunman had documents listing dozens of
additional lawmakers targeted for assassination or for violence,
including Congressman Krishnamoorthi who, of course, is a member of our
Oversight Committee.
We have seen how our Members of Congress are facing more and more
threats, but we cannot and will not be silent. It is important that we
continue to push back against hate, fear, division, and misinformation
in a bipartisan way.
Every elected official at every level must loudly call out and
denounce these attacks because acts of political violence like these
are a fundamental threat to our democracy.
Today, we will come together in a bipartisan way to condemn these
senseless attacks and reject political violence.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to strongly
condemn the recent attacks on Minnesota lawmakers and their families
and denounce all forms of political violence.
Earlier this month, a deranged gunman shocked the State of Minnesota
and this entire Nation by murdering Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and
her husband, Mark, and attempting to kill State Senator John Hoffman
and his wife, Yvette.
I am absolutely devastated by this terrifying act of violence. While
I didn't know Melissa Hortman personally, her reputation was that of a
very dedicated public servant who cared deeply about our shared State
and its peaceful people. I heard equally wonderful things about Mark
Hortman, especially his deep devotion to his family.
My heart aches for the Hortmans' two children, now left without
parents, and all their loved ones. At the same time, I continue to hold
Senator Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in my prayers as they begin the
long and difficult
[[Page H2911]]
road toward healing. Their survival is nothing short of a miracle, and
I thank God they remain with us today.
I am also thankful to all of our brave law enforcement officers in
Minnesota, along with our Federal partners who were able to locate and
capture the killer, ending his brief reign of terror on our State.
Without their quick response, there may have been many more victims.
Thanks to their dedication and professionalism, justice will now be
delivered.
Make no mistake. This was not just an attack on the Hortman and
Hoffman families. This was an attack on the State of Minnesota and our
shared ideals as Americans.
Political violence such as this threatens the very fabric of our
constitutional republic and can never be ignored or met without
condemnation. I am personally alarmed by the growing number of threats
and attacks on public officials across the political spectrum in recent
years. While we may have our differences, it is incumbent upon us all
to make sure that disagreement never descends into violence.
Now, more than ever, we must remember that we are all Americans, and
what unites us is far more powerful than anything that might divide us.
I am deeply grateful to Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman, and both of
their families for everything they have contributed to our great State
of Minnesota. I think one of the most powerful ways we can honor them
is by standing united as Americans against this senseless attack and
against all forms of political violence.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do so by supporting H. Res. 519.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Morrison), the author of this
resolution.
Ms. MORRISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart but a deep
resolve as we confront the assassination and attempted murders of
multiple State legislators in Minnesota.
What we witnessed last weekend was an unspeakable act. This is a
scary time for our country, and it comes at a time of increasing
political violence. There have been assassination attempts, kidnapping
plots, arson, and insurrection.
As elected Representatives for the people of the United States of
America, we have to take responsibility for our roles in this moment.
As elected leaders, we play a prominent role in setting the tone in
creating the atmosphere and shaping the narrative in determining what
becomes normalized.
This cannot be normalized.
Our words, our posts, our responses, they all carry weight and have
serious consequences. This is our wake-up call. The escalation and
normalization of violent rhetoric and political violence have gone way
too far.
We, as elected Representatives, have to take the lead and be the
first to speak out and to start to model a better path forward.
We can argue about who is to blame and which side is worse, but let's
make this the moment where we unequivocally condemn and commit to
ending violent rhetoric, full stop. We have to make this horrific act
of targeted political violence a watershed moment for our country.
We have to take a hard look at where we are, and we have to remember
who is watching us. Our children, the next generation of leaders, are
looking to us to learn how to behave and how to treat each other.
That includes creating a world where people aren't scared by the
hatred and division they see in their lives every day, creating a world
where our children have kind, compassionate leaders to look up to and
aspire to be.
Do we really want our children to live in a world where our elected
leaders bully and lead with hatred and cruelty? Remember, political
violence isn't just an attack on legislators. It is an attack on the
American people. It is an attack on our democracy.
Political violence threatens your right to be represented, your right
to have your voices heard. It threatens who will be willing to run for
office. As someone who was a doctor for almost two decades before I got
into politics, I am passionate about recruiting people from different
backgrounds to run because we need more diversity in who represents us.
Our democracy depends on good people running for office, and I am
deeply concerned that this will have a chilling effect if we don't stop
it in its tracks.
As we prepare to vote on this resolution, I come to my colleagues
with a solemn plea. Devastated by the loss of my friend and colleague
but more determined than ever with a deep love for the unrealized
promise of our country, I implore my colleagues to not only vote in
support of this resolution but to commit together to live by these
words every day. Stand up, speak out, and safeguard our democracy.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the majority leader.
Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Kentucky for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, a little over a week ago, America witnessed a horrific
act of political violence that goes against everything the United
States stands for.
On June 14, a deranged murderer disguised himself as a police officer
to gain entry into the home of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman. He
shot the senator and his wife, Yvette, a combined total of 17 times as
Yvette shielded her daughter, Hope, who then called 911.
Thankfully, Yvette Hoffman has been released from the hospital while
John remains in serious but stable condition. He remains in our
prayers.
The killer, still disguised as a law enforcement officer, then
stopped at the homes of two other Minnesota lawmakers, one whom was
fortunately not home, and the other who was perhaps saved by a timely
law enforcement intervention.
He later arrived at the home of Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita
Melissa Hortman and assassinated her and her husband, Mark Hortman.
Law enforcement then led a 2-day manhunt before capturing the killer
and finding a list of more than 45 lawmakers and potential targets.
As someone who has experienced political violence firsthand, this
brings back a lot of emotions. The man who shot me on the ball field
that day also had a list of lawmakers. I am grateful for the actions of
the brave law enforcement officers who ran toward the danger and saved
lives on the ball field that day and saved no doubt many lives in
Minnesota on that day just a few days ago.
This was a methodically planned attack on the people's right to be
governed by their duly-elected Representatives and should be
universally condemned, Mr. Speaker.
America's differences must be resolved through debate and democracy,
not through violence.
The resolution we are voting on today denounces these disturbing and
anti-American attacks and mourns the tragic loss of Melissa and Mark
Hortman.
{time} 1515
H. Res. 519, introduced by the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms.
Morrison), unequivocally condemns the horrific attacks on Minnesota
lawmakers and their families in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota,
and calls for the rejection of political violence in Minnesota and
throughout the United States.
Political violence will never have a place in America. Lawmakers from
both sides of the aisle must unite to reject political violence in all
forms across the country.
Melissa Hortman was a dedicated public servant, and we join Minnesota
and the Nation in honoring her life and the life of her husband, Mark.
We also pray for the speedy recovery of John and Yvette Hoffman and for
peace and unity in the face of tragedy and division.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the resolution.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi).
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and
growing concern for the safety of our democracy.
On June 14, in Minnesota, Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her
husband, Mark, were gunned down in their home. That same night, State
Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and wounded in a
separate attack. These were not random acts of violence. The shooter
left notes with the names of other public officials, including my own
name.
[[Page H2912]]
The Minnesota murders were a warning. If we are to respond
meaningfully, we must confront three hard truths.
First, political violence is no longer an abstract threat. It is
real. It is here. It is escalating. Public servants across this country
face rising threats simply for doing their jobs.
Second, these attacks are about more than individuals. They are
destabilizing our institutions. The only offense that these Minnesota
public officials and Leader Scalise were committing was serving their
communities. When acts of violence are aimed at silencing civic
participation, our entire democracy is at risk.
Third, we must meet this moment with unity and resolve. We must
reject the violent rhetoric and conspiracies that fuel this hatred. We
must defend civil dialogue. We must stand together as Republicans and
Democrats to condemn political violence and, for that matter, violence
of all kinds.
Just as an aside, I hope that the American people have a chance to
watch this particular debate because I think that it really illustrates
the unity and resolve that I think all of us must exhibit at all times.
Representative Hortman and Senator Hoffman deserve more than our
thoughts. They deserve our commitment to ensuring that this never
happens again.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach).
Mrs. FISCHBACH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Comer for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 519.
The events of June 14 were truly horrifying. Those events shocked
Minnesota, and they shocked the country.
We mourn the loss of Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her
husband, Mark. We pray for the swift recovery of my friend, Senator
John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette. I was honored to serve with both of
them in the Minnesota Legislature.
We are still processing this senseless act, and I stand with my
colleagues today as we say that there is no place for politically
motivated violence in this country.
These victims committed themselves to public service and believed
that they were working to make their State a better place. There is no
scenario in which that dedication to public service should have cost
them their lives.
We stand with John and Yvette and their family as they continue to
recover from the horrible attack.
I know that the friends and family of Mark and Melissa are proud of
the legacy they left, and they have left a strong legacy for all of us.
I hope their friends and family know that the Minnesota community is
here for them.
Finally, I thank the men and women of law enforcement who worked
tirelessly to apprehend this deranged killer and bring the episode to a
close.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of this resolution,
and I thank Congresswoman Morrison on behalf of the entire Minnesota
delegation for bringing us together.
We must stand united to condemn the assassination of Minnesota
Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the
attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Political violence targeted these two great servants who exemplified
the best of Minnesota values: hard work, respect, inclusion, and, yes,
caring for our neighbors.
Minnesotans are devastated by these heinous acts, and our communities
are feeling shock, grief, and distraught.
We know that this whole Nation has joined in mourning with us, but
this wasn't just an attack on our dedicated public servants and their
families. It was an attack on our democratic system of government.
Democracy embraces the civil exchange of ideas and the open debate of
policy. It is a commitment to disagree with one another while
respecting the rule of law. That is how democracy thrives.
Violent rhetoric, threats, and physical attacks driven by political
ideology must not be tolerated by any of us if our democracy is to
survive.
This resolution is an opportunity for us to speak with one voice to
condemn the attacks on Minnesota's elected officials. All Americans,
especially our leaders, must unequivocally denounce acts of political
violence.
Mr. Speaker, I urge every Member of this House to stand with
Minnesotans, to stand with our Nation, and to stand with our democracy
by voting for the adoption of this resolution.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Finstad).
Mr. FINSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer for yielding me
time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 519.
In the early morning hours of June 14, many of us woke up to the
horrifying news of a targeted political attack that took the lives of
former Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband,
Mark, and which left State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette,
hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.
In the hours and the days following, the largest manhunt in our
State's history ensued, with over 200 officers from local, State, and
Federal jurisdictions working together around the clock to bring the
shooter to justice.
I thank the officers who conducted this successful manhunt and
ensured the safety and security of Minnesota lawmakers in the ensuing
hours.
I also express my personal gratitude to members of the New Ulm Police
Department, the Brown County Sheriff's Office, and Sheriff Jason Seidl.
They worked to ensure the safety of my family and me in the hours
following the attack.
I had the honor of serving with Speaker Emerita Hortman for 4 years
during my time in the Minnesota Legislature. I will forever cherish the
conversations and friendship that I had with her then and throughout
the 20 years since.
When I look at my time serving alongside her, Melissa embodied the
spirit of the hardworking people of Minnesota. She came from a blue-
collar upbringing and had a work ethic that drove her to always seek
out solutions rather than seeking out a spotlight for a political win.
Melissa was a principled public servant who led by example. When
tough decisions had to be made, she put her politics aside and got the
job done for Minnesotans.
As a lawmaker, Melissa brought her roll-up-the-sleeves, problem-
solving approach to almost every issue. Along with it, she touched all
of us with the witty humor that many of us will remember her for,
including myself.
Melissa was a very special person, and I can say without hesitation
that our State was better served due to her leadership. The halls of
the Minnesota State Capitol will be a lot less bright without her.
Words cannot express the emotions that all of us across Minnesota
have experienced in the wake of this tragic event: devastation, fear,
grief, and outrage.
Whether we agree or disagree on policy issues, politically targeted
violence like this must never be tolerated.
My wife, Jackie, and I teach our kids that it is possible to
respectfully disagree with others. We have to do the same as a society.
We have to lead by example and put civility back into today's political
discourse.
Political disagreement is healthy. It is what our system of
government was founded upon. We have our fair share of that political
disagreement in Minnesota, and we even have it here in the House
Chamber.
I was proud to join every Member of the Minnesota delegation on both
sides of the aisle to call out this act of hatred, and we will continue
to do so together.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from Minnesota.
Mr. FINSTAD. Mr. Speaker, over the past week, I have been reminding
myself that hope, faith, and resilience are the enemy of evil. I remind
my fellow Minnesotans--not just the Republicans and not just the
Democrats but my fellow Minnesotans--that hope, faith, and resilience
are the enemy of evil. While one person's evil acts shook us to our
core, it is up to each and every one of us to be the good.
I hope that all of us take time to lean on each other and find
opportunities to
[[Page H2913]]
be more loving family members, kinder friends, and better neighbors
because that is the good that overcomes evil.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hortman and Hoffman families
during this time of tragedy.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important
resolution.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Craig).
Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two incredible
Minnesotans and friends who were taken from us too soon: Speaker
Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman.
We lost Melissa and Mark two weekends ago in an unthinkable,
politically motivated attack that also threatened the lives of State
Senator John Hoffman; his wife, Yvette; and their daughter, Hope.
Like many Minnesotans, I have struggled to come to terms with this
tragedy and to make sense of it, but I found comfort in community and
in sharing stories of my friends, Melissa and Mark.
Today, I will remember the Hortmans for the people that they were and
the legacy that they will leave behind. Anyone who knew Melissa and
Mark knew that, together, they were a force for good. Melissa was a
dedicated public servant, and both she and her husband devoted their
lives to improving the lives of Minnesotans.
Personally, Melissa and I shared a love of golden retrievers. We
often exchanged stories and photos of our beloveds. She adored her
golden retriever, Gilbert, and he adored her.
Professionally, I had the privilege of working with Melissa over the
years and watching her excel as speaker of the Minnesota House of
Representatives. I had always admired her work and her ability to work
across the aisle and make tough decisions when she needed to. She was a
true leader, and she led by example.
Recently, Melissa had to take a tough vote that she personally didn't
agree with, but it was the best deal that she could get. In my last
conversation with her, I told her that I was proud of her. I was proud
of her leadership. Standing here today, I am so glad that I did.
It is still difficult to comprehend the violent attacks on the
Hortmans and Hoffmans, but what I do know is that we got here, in part,
because of our divisive rhetoric that we have allowed to seep into our
politics and into our communities.
It will take our entire community coming together. We must hold
ourselves and each other accountable. It is the only way forward, and
it is how we honor the legacy of Melissa and Mark.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar).
Ms. OMAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart in support of
H. Res. 519.
What happened in my State of Minnesota was a painful reminder of the
growing threats that public servants face simply for doing their jobs.
Speaker Melissa Hortman was a friend, mentor, and fierce advocate who
dedicated her life to public service. The assassination of Melissa and
her husband, Mark, and the harm done to Senator John Hoffman and his
wife, Yvette, is a tragedy that should shake all of us, regardless of
party.
This resolution calls on us, on both sides of the aisle, to take that
violence seriously.
{time} 1530
Recently, we have seen acts of political violence minimized, joked
about, and used as a talking point. This has to stop. This job is never
supposed to come with a target on our backs.
Political violence has no place in our democracy. If we truly believe
in the work that we are doing here, then we have to protect the people
who serve.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez).
Mrs. RAMIREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 519
introduced by Congresswoman Kelly Morrison and the Minnesota
delegation.
I join my colleagues in condemning the attack that took the lives of
Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded
Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Let me say this loud and clear as so many have said today. There is
no place in our democracy for political violence. It violates our
shared humanity. The violence we saw in Minnesota is a consequence of
those in power irresponsibly stoking division and fermenting hate
against political opponents.
I also rise today to amplify the resolution's call that we all
reaffirm our commitment to a democracy where violent rhetoric and acts
like this are not tolerated.
Their call is echoed in my resolution to honor the life of Wadee
Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old boy from Illinois whose life was taken in the
act of anti-Palestinian violence. It is the duty of elected officials
and the media to tell the truth without dehumanizing rhetoric when
informing the public of factual information.
We know that dehumanizing rhetoric can fuel sentiments of hate that
result in violence, and each tragedy adds to a litany of evidence that
our safety and our security are interconnected. Dehumanizing rhetoric
makes us all less safe. Whether it be Truth Social polls, on Twitter or
anywhere else, we all have a responsibility to denounce political
violence in all its forms.
It is our duty to denounce, and we will continue to reject, all forms
of hate-fueled violence from Plainfield, Illinois to Gaza to Israel to
D.C. to Boulder to Minneapolis and everywhere in between. It is our
responsibility, and I thank the sponsors for bringing this resolution.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, we can all agree that
political violence should be condemned whenever it happens. Public
servants must be able to do their jobs and represent their constituents
without fear. It is good to hear this bipartisan support today. Of
course, our prayers and our thoughts are with everyone impacted.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the resolution, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I join my House colleagues in offering my
deepest condolences to the people of Minnesota.
I particularly extend my sympathies to my House colleagues
representing the Minnesota delegation. We mourn the loss of Melissa and
Mark Hortman, remembering their lives and the lasting impact they had
on the State they loved so deeply.
We send warm wishes of recovery to John and Yvette Hoffman, who have
displayed true courage through this nightmare.
My prayers are with the families and friends of the victims who have
had their lives upended and forever altered by these heinous acts.
We will not bend to intimidation or fear, and we refuse to tolerate
the actions of those who would seek to usurp the will of the people and
their representatives, advancing their own twisted agendas through
violence and bloodshed.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage each of our colleagues to support this
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bost). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 519, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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