[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3230-3233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1330
 EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES TO THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DEVASTATING SHOOTING 
                INCIDENT AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1007) expressing the condolences of 
the House to those affected by the devastating shooting incident of 
February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1007

       Whereas on Thursday, February 14, 2008, a gunman entered a 
     lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University 
     and opened fire on the students assembled there;
       Whereas the gunman took the lives of 5 students and wounded 
     17 more;
       Whereas the 5 students who lost their lives that day were--
       (1) Gayle Dubowski, age 20, of Carol Stream, Illinois, a 
     devout member of her church who sang in the church choir and 
     worked as a camp counselor and volunteer in rural Kentucky;
       (2) Catalina ``Cati'' Garcia, age 20, of Cicero, Illinois, 
     a first-generation American who had hoped to be a teacher, 
     was her family's ``princess'' and inspiration, and was rarely 
     seen without a beaming smile;
       (3) Julianna Gehant, age 32, of Mendota, Illinois, who 
     dreamed of becoming a teacher, and who spent more than 12 
     years in the United States Army and Army Reserve, serving our 
     Nation and saving money for college;
       (4) Ryanne Mace, age 19, of Carpentersville, Illinois, a 
     much-loved only child who was rarely without a warm smile and 
     hoped to be a counselor so she could help others; and
       (5) Daniel Parmenter, age 20, of Westchester, Illinois, 
     ``Danny'' to his friends, a 6-foot, 5-inch rugby player with 
     a gentle spirit and bright future, who died trying to protect 
     his girlfriend from gunfire;

       Whereas the Northern Illinois University Police Department, 
     the Police Departments of DeKalb, Sycamore, Aurora, Batavia, 
     Cortland, Galesburg, Genoa, Geneva, Mendota, St. Charles, 
     Rockford, and the Village of Winnebago, the Conservation 
     Police, the Sheriff's Offices of DeKalb County, Winnebago 
     County, and Kane County, the Kane County Bomb Squad, the 
     Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
     the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 
     Reach/Air Angel, Flight for Life, Life Line, the Salvation 
     Army, and the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department 
     of DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland, Malta, Maple Park, Rochelle, 
     Hampshire, Burlington, Shabbona, Hinckley, Genoa-Kingston, 
     Waterman, Elburn, St. Charles, Ogle-Lee, Kaneville, Sugar 
     Grove, North Aurora, and Somonauk responded to the emergency 
     promptly and assisted capably in the initial crisis and the 
     subsequent investigations;
       Whereas the emergency responders and the doctors, nurses, 
     and other health care providers at Kishwaukee Community 
     Hospital,

[[Page 3231]]

     Saint Anthony Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, 
     Rockford Memorial Hospital, and Northwestern Memorial 
     Hospital provided professional and dedicated care to the 
     victims;
       Whereas hundreds of volunteer counselors from Illinois and 
     across the Nation have come to Northern Illinois University 
     to assist the campus community;
       Whereas the students, faculty, staff, and administration of 
     Northern Illinois University, the people of the city of 
     DeKalb and the State of Illinois, and all Americans have 
     mourned the victims of this tragedy and have offered support 
     to the victims' friends and families and to the greater 
     Northern Illinois University community;
       Whereas Northern Illinois University has established a 
     scholarship fund to honor the memory of the students slain in 
     the February 14 tragedy; and
       Whereas the Northern Illinois University community is 
     determined to move ``forward, together forward'', in the 
     words of the Huskie fight song, and to persevere through this 
     tragedy with heavy hearts but unbroken spirits: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses its sincere condolences to the families, 
     friends, and loved ones of those who were killed in the 
     tragic shooting on February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois 
     University in DeKalb, Illinois: Gayle Dubowski, Catalina 
     Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter;
       (2) extends its support and prayers to those who were 
     wounded and wishes them a speedy recovery;
       (3) commends the emergency responders, law enforcement 
     officers, health care providers, and counselors who performed 
     their duties with professionalism and dedication in response 
     to the tragedy;
       (4) reaffirms its commitment to helping ensure that 
     schools, colleges, and universities in the United States are 
     safe and secure environments for learning; and
       (5) expresses its solidarity with Northern Illinois 
     University and its students, faculty, staff, and 
     administration as they mourn their losses and as they recover 
     from this tragic incident.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days 
during which Members may insert material relevant to H. Res. 1007 into 
the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my deepest sympathies to the 
victims and families who suffered the horrific shooting tragedy at 
Northern Illinois University. My thoughts and prayers go out to all 
those who have suffered through this great loss, especially the 
families, students, faculty and staff of the university.
  Northern Illinois University is one of the largest schools in 
Illinois, providing higher education to more than 25,000 students. The 
effects of this tragedy can be felt all across the State, and have 
echoed throughout the Nation.
  Parents send their children to school each day to learn about the 
world around them and to grow and develop into responsible adults. 
Parents that send their children off to college expect that they will 
be safe and will graduate with newfound knowledge and a bright future.
  As we mourn with the Northern Illinois University community, this 
Congress must continue in its work to make all schools safe in order to 
prevent this kind of tragedy in the future. We must continue to work 
with our colleges and universities to develop ways to anticipate, 
identify and prevent these horrific and disturbing acts of violence.
  Mr. Speaker, we stand to show our support to the family, students, 
faculty and staff of Northern Illinois University who continue on 
despite the tragic events surrounding them. I know that the healing 
process will take time, but I also hope that some day soon, all members 
of the Northern Illinois University community will feel the safety and 
security that all students should have.
  Mr. Speaker, especially do I want to extend appreciation to the 
president of Northern Illinois University, to the faculty and staff, 
and especially one program, something called the Chance Program, which 
opens its doors to students from all over the State, provides the 
sanctuary of the opportunity to get the best possible education, and we 
hope that they can put this tragedy behind them as we continue to move 
forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1007 to pay 
final respects and express the condolences of the House of 
Representatives for those affected by the devastating shooting incident 
on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois on 
February 14, 2008.
  On that dark Valentine's Day, five students lost their lives, and 17 
others were injured. Those five who were taken from their families are: 
20-year-old Gayle Dubowski of Carol Stream, 20-year-old Catalina Garcia 
of Cicero, 32-year-old Julianna Gehant of Mendota, 19-year-old Ryanne 
Mace of Carpentersville, and 20-year-old Daniel Parmenter of 
Westchester.
  The wounds suffered that day have been deeply felt by those families 
that lost loved ones, but the entire Nation shares in their pain. 
Messages of support continue to flow in from across the country and 
around the world.
  I would like to take special note of the extraordinary outpouring of 
kindness and sympathy from the students and faculty of Virginia Tech. 
Having endured a similar tragedy just last spring, their words of 
wisdom and perseverance have given strength to many in the NIU 
community.
  Our Nation's universities and colleges are places where students 
begin to embrace adulthood, where they begin to relish a newfound 
freedom, and where they begin to realize their dreams. For many they 
are places that offer new beginnings and pathways to brighter futures. 
To have that cut short for these five young men and women by such a 
senseless act is almost beyond comprehension. So today we come together 
to comfort one another and pray that the Northern Illinois University 
community and our Nation can begin to heal in the aftermath of this 
unspeakable tragedy.
  We also come together to support the efforts of America's higher 
education leaders and administrators to ensure tight security and safe 
conditions for all students. The recent violence on college campuses 
has American families concerned. As a Nation we must work to create 
safe yet accessible facilities and ensure that parents don't have to 
fear for their children's lives when they send them off to school. If 
ever there were a place where America's youth should feel safe, it is 
in institutions of learning.
  Mr. Speaker, I also believe that we owe sincere and heartfelt 
gratitude to NIU's administration, the law enforcement officers, 
faculty and students for the way they have handled the crisis. The 
strong, coordinated response by campus security reflects long hours of 
training and undoubtedly saved the lives of potential victims. And the 
entire DeKalb community, both on and off campus, has shown unity and 
courage in the face of extraordinary adversity.
  Simply put, no one can ever be truly prepared to handle a tragedy 
like this, but the response of the Northern Illinois University family 
has been a credit to them and to the State of Illinois.
  So in the spirit of the NIU Husky fight song, let us now move 
``forward, together forward,'' and may we all learn from the example of 
NIU as we tackle future challenges that face our Nation.
  I ask my colleagues to keep the students and families of NIU in their 
thoughts and prayers, and I ask for their support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my deepest sympathies to 
the

[[Page 3232]]

victims and their families who suffered the horrific shooting tragedy 
at Northern Illinois University.
  I would like to offer my deep thanks and gratitude to Chairman George 
Miller and Ranking Member Buck McKeon of the Education and Labor 
Committee for allowing this resolution to come to the floor for 
expedited consideration.
  Northern Illinois University is one of the largest schools in 
Illinois. It's over 25,000 students, and it's centered in the corn 
fields in the beautiful city of DeKalb, Illinois. And it reaches 
throughout the entire State and indeed around the country and in many 
cases around the world with the diversity of the foreign students. My 
colleagues and I represent thousands of Northern Illinois University 
faculty, staff and graduates. The tragedy has shaken all of us.
  Schools are supposed to be a sanctuary of safety, which is why the 
news that came out of NIU on the afternoon of February 14 was 
particularly tragic. A lone gunman, a former NIU student, opened fire 
on an oceanography class, killing five students and wounding 17 more in 
a matter of seconds. The NIU police were in the auditorium within 30 
seconds of the shots being fired. Shortly afterwards he killed himself, 
but all of the shooting took place prior to the police arriving, even 
in that short period of time. Many of us remember the shock we felt 
almost a year ago when 33 members of the Virginia Tech community were 
lost in a similar senseless act of violence.
  As a father of three children in college, I cannot even imagine the 
sorrow and hurt the families are experiencing. I shared that a bit this 
past week when I, along with Senators Durbin and Obama and 
Representatives Emanuel, Roskam and Bean stood with a crowd of more 
than 10,000 mourners on the NIU campus to memorialize this tragedy.
  But still the sorrow and the shock remain. We cannot bring back these 
young men and women to the classroom, to the sidewalks of DeKalb, or to 
the arms of their families. We cannot explain why, but we continue to 
search for answers. But as we did last week at NIU, we can pause to 
remember the spirit, energy and life of each of the five students lost 
in this tragedy.
  Gayle Dubowski, was a 25-year-old anthropology major from Carol 
Stream. She loved the arts, and was committed to her Christian faith. 
Her friends remembered her as a sweet and genuine person, someone who 
shined brightly for her Lord on the campus of NIU.
  Catalina Garcia, 20 years old of Cicero, Illinois, a first-generation 
American who hoped to be a teacher. An honor student, an athlete and a 
dancer in high school, her teachers remember her as a quiet girl but 
with big ideas. Jamie Garcia, her older brother, says he'll always 
remember her as the family princess.
  Julianna Gehant, age 32 of Mendota, Illinois, had served our Nation 
for 12 years in the Army and Army Reserves. She enrolled at NIU to 
major in elementary education, a childhood friend remembered, because 
she loved the innocence and creativity of children.
  Ryanne Mace, age 19 of Carpentersville, was an only child whose 
friends remember her rarely being without a smile. She majored in 
psychology to pursue her dream of helping others. Her roommate 
remembers her as a vibrant person, full of life, never wanting to miss 
a beat.
  Daniel Parmenter, age 20 of Westchester, Illinois, is remembered as a 
6-foot-5 rugby player with a gentle spirit and a bright future. His 
family has memories of his touching gestures, phone calls and small 
acts of love and courage. His last act of love was to throw himself in 
front of his girlfriend and he took the fire and was killed. And she 
was injured.
  It is an honor to have these students remembered in this body and to 
remember the courage of those who responded that day. The purpose of 
this resolution is to express the condolences of the House to those 
affected by this devastating tragedy.
  The Bible tells us to mourn with those who mourn, to pray for one 
another that we may be healed. We pray the healing continue for the 
families and the victims of Northern Illinois University.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. We have no further speakers, so with that, Mr. Speaker, 
let me just close by saying, let us keep all of these young people who 
we mourn in our thoughts and prayers; and let us move forward to find 
ways to keep our children safe in school and everywhere, that they may 
fulfill their dreams and continue on with their lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would close by just simply 
commending the State of Illinois, led by its Governor, its United 
States Senators, both Senators Durbin and Obama, Representative 
Manzullo, Representative Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of the City of DeKalb, 
all of the elected officials from the surrounding communities who 
joined the 10,000 people who came to a memorial service to express 
their sorrow, but also to express their sense of hope, to express their 
sense of frustration, to express their sense of solidarity with all of 
these students and their families, with the hope and the pledge that we 
will do everything in our power to try and make sure that this type 
tragedy does not continue to occur and reoccur on our college campuses 
across the Nation.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1007 and 
join with my colleagues in expressing my condolences to those who have 
been affected by the shooting incident at Northern Illinois University 
that killed 6 and injured 18 people last month. I thank my friend and 
fellow Illinois colleague, Representative Don Manzullo for introducing 
this resolution.
  I know that words will not bring those six people back or erase the 
fear in the eyes of those injured by this event. All I can say is that 
my heart goes out to the families of the victims, and to the students 
and faculty who survived--I too mourn with you.
  Northern Illinois University is less than 100 miles northeast of my 
congressional district, so news of the shooting hit close to home for 
me. At a time like this we find ourselves asking ``why?'' and jumping 
to conclusions about campus security and gun control. However, we 
seldom talk about the stigma of mental health in our Nation. I find it 
appropriate that on the same day we are considering this resolution, we 
are also debating the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity 
Act, legislation that will make it easier for people to seek and 
receive mental health treatment.
  I believe we need to do more on mental health care in this country in 
addition to other measures to make our schools, our children and our 
young adults safe.
  Again, my condolences go out to all those affected by the horrific 
shooting at Northern Illinois University--may you find comfort in those 
still with you and my you come together as a community once again and 
move forward to better times.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 1007, expressing the condolences of the House to those 
affected by the devastating shooting incident of February 14, 2008 at 
Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois.
  The shootings at Northern Illinois University, on Thursday, February 
14, reminded us once again that the wrath of violence can easily 
destroy the lives of many students seeking education. On that day, a 
gunman took the lives of 5 students and wounded 17 more. My deepest 
sympathies and thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the 
community of students, teachers, and staff.
  This reaffirms the steps we must take as public officials to ensure 
that schools, colleges, and universities in the United States are a 
safe and secure environment for learning. We must take a hard look at 
gun regulation. We must regulate the process by which civilians are 
able to obtain firearms for the sake of protecting those who may be 
victims of senseless crimes. Americans must stop apologizing and 
actually do something about the problem. We must stop denying that 
problems like this will never happen in our communities. A system of 
educating students and parents about gun safety should be paralleled 
with education systems by providing students with councelors, or 
spiritual advisors.
  I express my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved 
ones of those who were killed in the tragic shooting: Gayle Dubpwski, 
Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parameter. As 
citizens of the United States, we offer support to the victims' 
families with prayer and hope for

[[Page 3233]]

a speedy recovery to those who were wounded. I commend the emergency 
responders, law enforcement officers, health care providers, and 
counselors who performed their duties with professionalism and 
dedication in response to the tragedy.
  The Northern Illinois University Community must be determined to move 
`forward, together forward', in the words of the Huskie fight song, and 
persevere through this tragedy. Indeed they must trod with heavy hearts 
but unbroken spirits.
  I cannot begin to understand how the actions of something so terrible 
could occur in one of our institutions of higher learning. Our Nation 
continues to grapple with this horrific event. We can never completely 
understand why these things happen. I realize that no words can heal 
the wounds of February 14, 2008 for the NIU family, but I extend my 
arms as a Member of the United States Congress in offering all of my 
prayers, support, and hugs for your family during this difficult time.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, on February 15, the United States 
watched in horror and despair as the lives of six innocent and 
promising students from Northern Illinois University were taken 
suddenly and cruelly. As we mourn this senseless tragedy, I would like 
to extend my thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families.
  The tragedy at NIU last month is just another painful reminder that 
the United States must do more to stem the flood of violence and ensure 
that our campuses are as safe and secure as possible. The incident at 
Northern Illinois comes only a week after a gunman opened fire on a 
college campus in Louisiana, and just 10 months after the tragic 
shooting at Virginia Tech that left 33 people dead.
  I believe that in order for this disturbing trend to be curtailed the 
United States must adopt commonsense reforms that will reduce the 
number of assault and other high power weapons available to the public 
while also allowing responsible gun owners that right to bear arms.
  I urge my colleagues to work with one another toward a solution that 
will prevent incidents like this one from taking place in the future.
  Again, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to all the students at 
NIU--not only the victims and their families, but those students who 
are dealing with the aftermath of this horrific event. I know that the 
impact of this event will linger forever, but I also know that NIU will 
continue to be a vibrant center of learning.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1007.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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