[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 10, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H4230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CALLING FOR SUBSTANTIVE ACTION ON SHOOTINGS

  (Mr. LATIMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Speaker, I have some comments that were drafted 
before today's events.
  Last month, in Minnesota, a gunman opened fire on Catholic 
schoolchildren praying. Again, thoughts and prayers are offered, but 
what do we say and what do we do when the victims were already praying?
  This cannot be our only response. We need substantive action.
  As Westchester County executive, we acted early to ban gun shows from 
county-owned buildings. It was a small but meaningful sign that we were 
serious about keeping guns out of our communities.
  Now, Congress must show that same seriousness. We need universal 
background checks. We need weapons of war off our streets. We need 
strong red flag laws to keep guns away from abusers.
  State laws are not enough. Guns can easily be trafficked across State 
lines.
  Thoughts and prayers didn't save children at Sandy Hook, Uvalde, or 
in that Minnesota church. They won't save the next victims unless we 
act. We have to keep weapons of mass death out of the hands of those 
who would use them to kill innocent people.
  In the last few hours, we have one more example, the murder of 
Charlie Kirk. Any person, regardless of their politics, should be able 
to express their ideas without violence.
  Commonsense gun laws save lives, Mr. Speaker, and we must pass them 
now.

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