[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14852-14858]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CONDEMNING SHOOTING AT U.S. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 529) condemning the violent attack on the United 
States Holocaust Memorial Museum on June 10, 2009 and honoring the 
bravery and dedication of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 
employees and security personnel.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 529

       Whereas, on June 10, 2009, an armed assailant with ties to 
     white supremacist organizations, a conviction for a violent 
     crime and a history of anti-Semitic and racist activities 
     opened fire at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum;
       Whereas, the gunman was a convicted felon and obtained a 
     firearm in violation of Federal law;
       Whereas, security personnel at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
     Museum, U.S. Park Police, and other emergency responders, 
     responded quickly and valiantly to ensure the safety of 
     museum visitors and staff and other bystanders;
       Whereas, Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, who had worked at 
     the Museum for six years, was fired upon by the gunman and 
     later tragically succumbed to his wounds;
       Whereas, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was established 
     by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, which was created by 
     Congress in 1980 (Public Law 96-388) and mandated to create a 
     permanent living memorial museum to the victims of the 
     Holocaust;
       Whereas, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated 
     on April 22, 1993 and has since welcomed nearly 30 million 
     visitors, including more than 8 million school children and 
     85 heads of state;
       Whereas, the primary mission of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
     Museum is ``to advance and disseminate knowledge about this 
     unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who 
     suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the 
     moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the 
     Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens 
     of a democracy.''
       Whereas, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum serves as one 
     of the world's leading authorities on the Holocaust;
       Whereas, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, created to 
     remind us of what happened and what could happen when hatred 
     turns into violence, has tragically become a target itself;
       Whereas, the attack at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum 
     is a horrific reminder of the violence that can stem from 
     anti-Semitism, racism, hatred, intolerance, and Holocaust 
     denial;
       Whereas, President Obama stated, ``This outrageous act 
     reminds us that we must remain vigilant against anti-Semitism 
     and prejudice in all its forms. No American institution is 
     more important to this effort than the Holocaust Museum, and 
     no act of violence will diminish our determination to honor 
     those who were lost by building a more peaceful and tolerant 
     world'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns the violent attack on the U.S. Holocaust 
     Memorial Museum on June 10, 2009;
       (2) honors the bravery and dedication of the employees and 
     security personnel at the United States Holocaust Memorial 
     Museum and rededicates itself to the safety and the security 
     of the Museum and its visitors;
       (3) offers its condolences to the family of Officer Stephen 
     Tyrone Johns who was killed in the line of duty;
       (4) redoubles its commitment to advance the mission of the 
     U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to educate people about the 
     Holocaust and fight against anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and 
     intolerance; and
       (5) urges the American people to join the Hour of 
     Representatives in condemning this act of hateful violence 
     and intolerance.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Hastings) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from West Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, this resolution places this body on record 
as condemning yesterday's violent attack on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
Museum, while also praising the bravery and sacrifice of those who 
defended against this attack. The resolution further recognizes the 
powerful and vital role that the memorial museum plays in the world and 
rededicates this Congress to assisting wherever possible in helping the 
museum to accomplish its mission of education and enlightenment.
  First and foremost, let me join my colleagues in expressing our deep 
sadness and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Security 
Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. It is our hope that, despite what must be 
nearly unbearable grief, those who loved Officer Johns are also filled 
with enormous pride at the service he rendered during his distinguished 
career and the sacrifice he has now made.
  Everyone involved in the tragic events of yesterday proved something 
about themselves. Officer Johns, along with the security and other 
emergency personnel who responded, proved that training, dedication and 
bravery in the face of life-threatening events can save lives.
  Officer Johns in particular reminds us that there are those among us 
who volunteer to stand watch over us, even knowing that they are 
risking their own lives.
  The perpetrator of yesterday's attack proved something as well. His 
actions demonstrate that ignorance and hatred still exist and too often 
lead to violence. By his actions, this man demonstrated that the very 
evil which led to the Holocaust, the very evil he had sought in the 
past to deny, still exists and still must be resisted vigilantly.
  And going forward, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum will prove 
something as well. There was a time when people with hatred in their 
hearts were powerful, a time when those who devalued others based on 
race or religion held in their hands the levers of power. Those days 
are over.
  The museum has suffered a great loss, but the museum will continue in 
its important work. This attack has no power over the museum, its 
supporters or its mission.
  Hatred can no longer beat back the forces of justice and equality. 
Whatever the dark aims of the attacker may have been, there is no 
question that he has failed, and those like him will always fail as 
long as organizations like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum are 
standing.
  I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I join with Chairman Rahall to support this resolution 
to condemn the tragic shooting at the United States Holocaust Memorial 
Museum yesterday. Our prayers go out to the family of Security Officer 
Steven Tyrone Johns, an innocent victim of this outrage.
  Mr. Speaker, that this violent act and needless death occurred at a 
memorial erected to peace and tolerance by reminding the world of the 
deaths and horrors of the Holocaust is, to me, simply unspeakable.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I simply urge all of my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 2 minutes to the main 
sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).
  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from West 
Virginia.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 
529, a bipartisan resolution that I authored with Mr. Pence, Mr. 
Waxman, Mr. Smith and Mr. Engel, and I thank the Speaker for promptly 
bringing it to the floor today with the input and guidance from many 
other Members of this Chamber, as well as the bipartisan Congressional 
Task Force Against Anti-Semitism.
  I rise today in great sorrow as this Nation mourns the loss of 
Officer Stephen T. Johns, who was killed in the line of duty yesterday 
at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum at the hands of a 
hateful white supremacist.

[[Page 14853]]

  Today I offer condolences to the family of Officer Johns and condemn 
in the strongest possible way the vicious attack on the Holocaust 
Memorial Museum and all that it represents.
  The museum is a place of reflection, an expression of the adage 
``never again.'' The museum seeks a world without racism, anti-
Semitism, Holocaust denial and intolerance.
  The target may have been the museum and Jews, but this vicious attack 
hurt all Americans. A hate crime in every sense, this attack violates 
all of us. Acts of hatred and violence cannot and will not be tolerated 
in our country. Today, the lessons of the Holocaust are more relevant 
than ever before. Officer Johns died protecting those values, and he is 
a hero to all of us.
  Americans stand today together to redouble our commitment to advance 
the mission of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, to advance 
Holocaust education and fight against anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and 
intolerance in the United States and throughout the world. Only by 
standing together can we begin to heal and fight against future acts of 
hatred.
  I thank both the Democrat and Republican leadership of the House, Mr. 
Rahall and Mr. Hastings, for their support. I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such 
time as he may consume to the distinguished Republican Caucus Chair, 
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
  Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 529, 
condemning the violent attack on the Holocaust Memorial Museum that 
occurred in shocking dimensions yesterday here in our Nation's Capital.
  I want to single out my colleague in the majority, Ron Klein of 
Florida, for his swift and thoughtful legislative work in bringing this 
resolution to the floor and for allowing me to coauthor this bipartisan 
resolution before the House today. It has been my distinct pleasure to 
serve together with Mr. Klein as the cochairman of the Bipartisan 
Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism that was founded, I say 
with deep admiration, by the late Tom Lantos of California, who 
understood the importance of this body and this Nation speaking with 
one voice against the venom of anti-Semitism.
  Today, we mourn the loss of Special Police Officer Steven Tyrone 
Johns, and I offer my personal condolences to his family. He lost his 
life while defending civilians, visitors and staff of the Holocaust 
Memorial Museum. Officer Johns died upon arrival at the George 
Washington Hospital after being shot by an assailant with strong ties 
to white supremacist organizations. Officer Johns died while bravely 
defending museum visitors from around the world, and I honor his 
service and courage and the sacrifice that he exemplified. He will be 
remembered.
  We rise today to condemn the violent attacks of yesterday that 
ravaged Washington, D.C.'s, permanent living memorial to the victims of 
the Holocaust. For those who have visited, we know the U.S. Holocaust 
Memorial Museum serves as one of the world's leading authorities on the 
Holocaust. And let me say with no small measure of American pride, it 
has become an essential stop for every American visiting our Nation's 
Capital, with few exceptions.
  It was dedicated on April 22, 1993, and has since welcomed nearly 30 
million children, including 8 million schoolchildren and 85 heads of 
state.
  The museum's mission is simply this: to ``advance and disseminate 
knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of 
those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the 
moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as 
well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy.'' Anyone 
who has wandered those solemn hallways knows that the United States 
Holocaust Memorial Museum accomplishes that mission.

                              {time}  1545

  This attack at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is a horrific 
reminder of the violence that can stem from unchecked hatred, 
intolerance, anti-Semitism, as well as the denial of history that is 
often manifested in that sentiment.
  Let me be clear. No act of violence will ever diminish our 
determination to honor those who lost their lives in the Holocaust, and 
neither will yesterday.
  And as we condemn intolerance and racism in our Capital City, we 
should ponder today, Mr. Speaker, what anti-Semitic hatred and rage 
could mean on the international stage. I say with a heavy heart today, 
with the deepest respect for the families affected by yesterday's 
tragic events, we would do well, as a Nation, to reflect, if one man 
can walk in the Holocaust museum with a rifle, motivated by anti-
Semitic rage and bring about violence and death, what could a nation, 
armed with the same anti-Semitic rage, do with a nuclear weapon?
  The American people deserve to know that the same hatred that drove 
this one, lonely and deranged man to open fire at the U.S. Holocaust 
Memorial Museum, I believe, resides in the hearts of some of the most 
powerful leaders in an ancient nation of the world. And I am confident 
that when the time comes, this Congress, this government, this Nation, 
and our cherished ally, will do what is necessary to prevent a global 
manifestation of anti-Semitic violence.
  The best way to honor the lives of victims of hatred is to stand in 
the path of those who would continue the violence. Let Officer Johns' 
sacrifice be an example for each of us in our personal lives, and an 
example for this Nation in the exercise of courage and determination in 
the defense of liberty on the world stage.
  Let us stand in the path of hatred, come together as a Congress and a 
Nation.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from the 
District of Columbia, in whose district this terrible attack occurred, 
Eleanor Holmes Norton.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the majority leader announced 
that he had not been able to muster enough votes to pass a civil rights 
bill, the District of Columbia Voting Rights Bill, which had a gun 
amendment which would wipe away the District's gun laws leaving us 
defenseless.
  Yesterday, a brave young man, Stephen Tyrone Johns, a guard at the 
Holocaust Museum, one of our most popular museums because it is so 
moving, lost his life.
  There are political considerations that keep us from moving directly 
against gun laws. I ask us to show that we are not defenseless to 
protect official Washington, not paralyzed when it comes to gun safety, 
by at least passing, but not allowing gun amendments to stop unrelated 
laws like the District of Columbia Voting Rights Act and opening the 
city to gun carnage of the kind we saw yesterday.
  Let this be the last gun carnage of its kind. Let the District of 
Columbia Voting Rights Act pass this year.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the bringing of this 
resolution. This is a time when we should join our hearts and minds 
together in condemning the violent act that occurred at, of all places, 
the Holocaust museum, a place that I, with countless others, in my 
case, multiple occasions going to the museum, have been touched to 
tears to just try to get your mind around the inhumanity of man to man.
  This is a Nation that was brought together as a Nation, fought hard, 
so that within this Nation we could have civility. And one of the 
Founding Fathers' favorite lines was often to quote Voltaire in saying, 
I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right 
to say it.
  The criminal who invoked and created this violence in the Holocaust 
museum should be properly punished, and I am thankful that we have laws 
that will punish him. I wouldn't mind seeing

[[Page 14854]]

a death penalty as a possibility in the case of such violence, but in 
this town that is, apparently, not an option. But violence of this 
nature within this country must not be tolerated.
  But it also must not minimize the commitment, the love and devotion 
of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, who gave his life in doing his job in 
devotion to others and to this country and all it stands for.
  So we thank Stephen Tyrone Johns. We thank his memory. We thank his 
family, and we will pray for their peace and healing during this very, 
very difficult time.
  We condemn the attack, such a violent nature, encourage all to 
understand that in this Nation, in every State, in the District of 
Columbia, no matter how someone may disagree with someone else, 
provoking words are never a defense to violence. Violence must be 
condemned, no matter what someone deems to be the provocation in their 
own mind.
  We must be and we must make this a Nation of civility. We can 
disagree. Disagreement is a good and healthy thing. When there's 
disagreement, it means we're not all useless. But we must never allow 
this kind of violence to go unaddressed.
  So we pay tribute to the Johns family--our prayers will be with 
them--and condemn the violent attack at the Holocaust museum, of all 
places, and appreciate this resolution being brought forward.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, Officer Johns resided in the district of our 
next speaker, to whom I'm going to yield 2 minutes, the gentlelady from 
Maryland, Ms. Donna Edwards.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
House Resolution 529.
  Mr. Speaker, it's with great sadness that I rise today to honor the 
life and memory of Stephen Tyrone Johns, the security officer who 
courageously gave his life protecting the lives of others during 
yesterday's shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  Officer Johns' quick action and sacrifice may indeed have saved the 
lives of people at the Holocaust Memorial Museum yesterday and 
certainly enabled his fellow officers to secure the museum.
  The armed assailant, who had connections with the white supremacist 
organizations and a long history of anti-Semitic and racist activities, 
walked into the Holocaust museum and opened fire, resulting in the 
tragic murder of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. This was a murder based 
on hate and malice, and took the life of a good man.
  A security officer for 6 years at the Holocaust Memorial Museum and 
resident of Temple Hills, Maryland, which is the district which I 
represent, Officer Johns was beloved by his family and friends. 
Colleagues called Officer Johns ``Big John.'' He was known as a gentle 
giant, and remembered for his friendliness, soft-spoken nature and 
gentle demeanor.
  This morning, I had the opportunity to speak to Officer Johns' mother 
and stepfather. The entire family is grieving this senseless loss. 
Above all, the family wanted America to know that Stephen was dedicated 
to his job and his family. His mother said he loved his job, and he 
took his duty at the Holocaust Memorial Museum very seriously, so 
seriously that he ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice.
  As we join Officer Johns' family in struggling to find answers, the 
truth is that this was a senseless act and a senseless murder that has 
resulted in a great loss. Officer Johns' sacrifice is a stark reminder 
of the threat of hate and intolerance to our humanity.
  I want the family of Officer Johns to know that I, along with my 
colleagues here in Congress, am grieving with them, and America is 
grieving with them.
  In addition to his family and friends, Officer Johns leaves an 11-
year-old son, Stephen Tyrone Johns, Jr., to mourn his loss. So it is 
with a heavy and sad heart that I offer my sincere condolences to the 
family of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. He will always be remembered as 
a dedicated and beloved hero.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire how much 
time is on both sides?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Washington has 10 minutes 
remaining, and the gentleman from West Virginia has 12\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. My understanding is my friend from West 
Virginia has more requests for time than I do, and I'd be more than 
happy to yield him 9 of those 10 minutes to dispense with as he sees 
fit, with the understanding, if I do get some Members, I can reclaim 
some of that time. And I ask unanimous consent that he control that 9 
minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Hastings).
  I now yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. 
Dahlkemper).
  Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today profoundly troubled and 
deeply saddened by yesterday's senseless acts of violence that occurred 
at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
  My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Stephen T. Johns, the 
security officer whose life was taken in that tragic event. I am so 
grateful for his service and the service of all the security officers 
who work to keep us safe.
  Yesterday's action was a shocking reminder of the progress we have 
yet to make against bigotry, ignorance and hate. The gunman's attack 
was not only against one man, but against an important idea of human 
dignity for all.
  However, as a Nation, our resolve must remain strong, and our 
response must be very clear. There is no place for anti-Semitism and 
racism in the United States of America.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in renewing our commitment to ending 
hatred and violence by supporting House Resolution 529.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from 
California, Ms. Barbara Lee.
  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me first say thank you to the 
gentleman from Florida for introducing this resolution, and I rise in 
strong support of it.
  The Congressional Black Caucus extends our heartfelt condolences to 
the family of Officer Stephen Johns. He was an American hero. He was an 
African American. He was slain in this senseless act of violence at the 
Holocaust museum, which preserves the memory of a period in the world, 
a period borne of violence, of hatred, of death, a period that must not 
be forgotten.
  The death of Officer Johns reminds us, however, that racism and anti-
Semitism in all its ugly forms must be condemned and fought at every, 
every turn.
  We extend to Mr. Johns' family our deepest sympathy as you mourn the 
loss of your loved one. He will be a hero in all of our minds who we 
will remember and who will remind us of the unfinished business of our 
country. We offer our condolences and our assistance to the family, 
should the family need us during this time of need.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from 
California, Ms. Susan Davis.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in 
supporting this resolution.
  The Holocaust museum offers more than an important education 
opportunity for so many people worldwide. It is a symbol of the need to 
continue our efforts to reduce intolerance, prejudice and hatred in the 
world.
  It was over 15 years ago when I led a group of young people from San 
Diego to visit the newly opened museum, a group of high school students 
from all walks of life who were participating in a mentoring program. I 
was the executive director of that program and made it a point to put a 
visit to the Holocaust museum on our agenda.

                              {time}  1600

  It was such an emotional moment for many of these teenagers who until 
that

[[Page 14855]]

day had never fully comprehended what the Holocaust meant.
  So I want to add my voice in expressing heartfelt condolences to the 
family of museum guard Stephen Tyrone Johns. His courage and his 
sacrifice will not be forgotten in a place that we always say ``Never 
again.''
  Also to be recognized and praised are the security guards who subdued 
the gunman and prevented a tragic incident from becoming even more 
tragic.
  This incident hit me hard yesterday because I happened to be standing 
at the museum 2 days before the very time that this incident occurred, 
and it was so pleasing to see the people who were gathering there and 
who flock to it all the time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Georgia, Mr. Hank Johnson.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, yesterday a despicable act 
occurred. By now everyone knows what it was and why it was; so I won't 
belabor that, other than to say that hatred is something that leads to 
violence. So we should all be looking deeply within our hearts to 
remove hatred and to try to value humanity.
  Officer Stephen Johns leaves an 11-year-old son, whom I saw on TV 
yesterday, and I don't think he could cry, he was so overwhelmed, and 
then his mother and his grandmother were too distraught to talk. So 
they need our prayers, and I send out my condolences to the family.
  It happened yesterday that a black man, doing his duty at the U.S. 
Holocaust Memorial Museum, was killed. Our communities have worked so 
diligently in the past. We have such strong bonds, and so we are there 
for each other.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Driehaus).
  Mr. DRIEHAUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to this 
tragedy and to honor the family of Mr. Johns, who was tragically killed 
yesterday at the Holocaust museum.
  When I come to the floor and when I think about this job and what we 
are trying to do, to send a message to our children across this 
country, it is a message of tolerance. It is a message of trying to 
wipe out hatred, trying to wipe out the hatred that exists against 
different races, different religions, different cultures. It is about 
learning to accept and appreciate the cultures.
  The Holocaust museum stands as a tribute and helps us better 
understand the tragedies that occur when intolerance runs amok. I stand 
with my fellow colleagues and the people of this body in honor of Mr. 
Johns to say we believe in tolerance, we believe in acceptance, and we 
thank him and his family and we mourn with them.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Nevada, Ms. Shelley Berkley.
  Ms. BERKLEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank my 
colleagues Mr. Waxman and Mr. Klein for putting this resolution 
together.
  Mr. Speaker, the shooting at the United States Holocaust Memorial 
Museum is a sad reminder of how anti-Semitism, intolerance, and hatred 
can lead to senseless acts of violence and death.
  My deepest condolences go out to the family of our security 
officials, Officer Johns, who was killed while defending the visitors 
and staff of the museum. His bravery and actions in the line of duty 
are to be commended and will long be remembered.
  This disturbing attack on Washington's Holocaust Memorial Museum and 
the accompanying loss of life underscore the importance of teaching 
each new generation about the causes of the Holocaust and how we must 
work together to prevent the spread of intolerance and hatred based on 
religion, ethnicity, race, color, anything you choose. This shocking 
and horrific hate crime should be condemned by all Americans. We must 
speak with one voice that this is unacceptable and will not be 
tolerated in the United States of America.
  This resolution is a worthy first step in this effort. I urge 
unanimous vote in favor of this resolution by my colleagues.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio, Mary Jo Kilroy.
  Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, to the grieving family of Stephen Tyrone 
Johns, I offer my deepest sympathy. You are in our thoughts and 
prayers.
  And to the men and women in blue, especially those serving here on 
Capitol Hill, I offer my condolences at the loss of your brother 
officer and recognize the courage and devotion to duty he displayed at 
the cost of his life. I know that our Nation's police forces stand 
ready each and every day to serve and to protect.
  This particular outrage is all the more heinous because of the place 
of the crime, our National Holocaust Memorial Museum, and because its 
perpetrator had a repeated history of public expressions of racism and 
anti-Semitism.
  It is long past time for us to come together as a Nation and put an 
end to racism, to put an end to anti-Semitism, to put an end to 
homophobia, and to eliminate hate crimes; to come together and say that 
hatred and intolerance should not be allowed, that we should be able to 
end this as a community and come together in a Nation that respects 
each other for the true gift of the individual that each of us is.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. McCarthy).
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding time.
  Mr. Speaker, yesterday a terrible tragedy happened right here in 
Washington, D.C. It's sad when we see that there are people in this 
country that have so much hate in their hearts, and it's sad that this 
person went out to try to kill as many people as possible and being at 
the Holocaust museum.
  Stephen Johns was there to protect the people in the museum, and he 
lost his life. He lost his life being a hero, by trying to save as many 
people there as possible.
  Mr. Speaker, each and every day, there are killings; there is hatred 
that leads to these kinds of killings. It's got to stop. We can stop it 
here in Congress if the American people would actually put their voices 
a little bit higher and tell their Representatives the violence needs 
to stop. Violence on every level is totally wrong. Violence to innocent 
people is totally wrong. We need to do a better job in stopping the 
hate in this country.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 529, the resolution condemning the 
violent attack yesterday at the United States Holocaust Memorial 
Museum.
  My heart goes out to the victim's family.
  This innocent man was going about his workday and his life was taken 
in a despicable act of violence.
  But Steven Johns' selflessness and heroism saved the lives of others 
who could have been caught up in the violence.
  The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum serves as a powerful rebuke of the 
violence and hatred that resulted in the loss of millions of lives 
during World War II.
  Yesterday's events there serve as a painful reminder of the 
importance of combating violence in any form.
  The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has educated millions of Americans 
about the horrors and hate crimes of the Holocaust.
  Sadly, yesterday, the Holocaust Museum became known for another 
tragic hate crime.
  Hate crimes and hate groups are on the rise in our Nation.
  Hate groups have terrorized too many Americans.
  This horrible act also serves as another example of the need to end 
gun violence in the United States.
  We need to make sure that we do everything we can to prevent similar 
tragedies in the future.
  The suspect in this terrible crime was a convicted felon and should 
never have been able to get his hands on a gun.
  Too many of the wrong people have access to guns.
  We are seeing more and more of these senseless crimes take place.
  The rate of gun violence in this country is totally unacceptable.
  There is something that we can do.
  We can pass sensible gun laws in this Nation that will save lives.
  We need to keep guns out of the hands of the people that can do the 
most harm with them such as convicted felons and the mentally ill.
  We also need to close the gun show loophole, which allows people to 
buy guns without any background check at all.

[[Page 14856]]

  And Congress should pass my bill, the No Fly No Buy Act, which 
prohibits people who are on the TSA's ``No Fly List'' as known or 
suspected terrorists from purchasing guns.
  We can never prevent every gun death in this country, but we do have 
tools that can limit gun violence and would be effective now.
  I urge my colleagues to work together with me to make sure that we do 
everything we can to limit gun violence in this country.
  Please support this resolution so that we can send a strong message 
that hate and violence will not be tolerated by this Congress.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, it's nearly a decade ago that in my 
district a hate-monger came with a gun and pointed it at young men and 
women, people, families who were leaving their synagogue at the 
beginning of the Sabbath. And when he wasn't able to kill anybody 
there, he drove down the street and saw an African American standing in 
front of his house with his children in Skokie, Illinois, and shot and 
killed Ricky Birdsong, a community leader and a beloved member of that 
community.
  We've made some progress in extinguishing anti-Semitism and hatred. 
We have certainly worked toward it. And yet yesterday at the Holocaust 
museum, a place dedicated to remembering the lives of senselessly 
killed millions of people, another shooter was there.
  But standing in his way was Officer Johns, Officer Stephen Tyrone 
Johns, who died in defense of tolerance in our country, against 
intolerance in our country, and saved probably the lives of many, many 
people in doing so because that shooter was going on to kill others.
  We owe him and his family a debt of gratitude and send condolences to 
those who loved him.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank all of 
those who are involved, Mr. Klein of Florida and members of the House 
Anti-Semitism Caucus and others, certainly the chairman of the 
committee, Mr. Rahall, and others for giving us an opportunity to speak 
on the floor to express our grief and our outrage over what happened 
yesterday.
  When the news came to the Capitol of what had happened at the U.S. 
Holocaust Memorial Museum, we were shaken, shaken to the core that this 
could possibly happen.
  The resolution today allows us to express some of the grief that we 
have and the strongest denunciation of the despicable hate crime 
perpetrated yesterday and to express our strong support for the work of 
the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  Some of us were there that rainy, rainy day when the Holocaust 
Memorial Museum was dedicated. Elie Wiesel spoke to us so profoundly 
about what it meant, not only in terms of memory and never forgetting 
what happened in the Holocaust, but what our responsibility is to the 
future. At the time the Bosnian crisis was happening. So while the 
Holocaust Memorial Museum is about something that happened in the past, 
it is a memorial and a reminder to us about ridding our societies of 
these kinds of attitudes.
  So how ironic, how ironic that this person, this individual, would go 
into that museum with hate in his heart, a gun in his hand, and kill 
this beautiful man, Stephen Johns, who really gave his life. He guarded 
others with his life. And I would like to take a moment to pay special 
tribute to Stephen Johns, whose life was cruelly taken yesterday.
  Stephen was known to his colleagues as ``a soft-spoken, gentle 
giant.'' Stephen loved his hometown football team, the Redskins, and he 
loved to travel across the United States. Sad to say--well, it was a 
happy moment for him--but sad that it was such a short time ago he had 
married and moved to Temple Hills, Maryland, just 10 minutes away from 
his mother.
  Stephen died in the line of duty, doing his job to protect those who 
came to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. We honor him 
today. We honor his sacrifice and his service.
  In the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, anyone who has visited there 
knows there is a flame that burns in remembrance to all who died in the 
Holocaust. It lights the room over a coffin of Earth gathered from the 
death camps, concentration camps, sites of mass execution and ghettos 
in Nazi-occupied Europe and from cemeteries of American and European 
soldiers who fought and died to defeat Nazi Germany.
  Engraved above the flame, it says, from Deuteronomy 4:9: ``Only guard 
yourself and guard your soul carefully, lest you forget the things your 
eyes saw, and lest these things depart your heart all the days of your 
life, and you shall make them known to your children, and your 
children's children.''
  Today we commit to telling our future generations the truth shared at 
the Holocaust museum. This heinous act was committed at the entrance to 
sacred ground to us, the Holocaust museum, as I described, where some 
of the Earth was gathered from. This is a severe blow to all of us who 
care about these issues, and I would include that to be everyone in the 
Congress of the United States and in our great country and those 
throughout the world who promise never to forget.

                              {time}  1615

  So we commit never to forget, and we commit to continue our work to 
build a world free of hatred.
  Again, I thank our colleagues for giving us a time to publicly mourn 
this horrible, horrible event; to extend our condolences to the family 
of that brave guard and also to acknowledge, like Stephen Johns, our 
own Capitol Police and many others who make this area safer for people 
to visit from all over the world, who make it safer for us to do our 
jobs here, who make it safer for the press to cover us, who make it 
safer for our staffs to work, we express our deep gratitude to them. 
For us, the words Gibson and Chestnut are forever ablaze in our 
hearts--two of those committed to guard the Capitol whose lives were 
taken over 10 years ago. We will add to that list Stephen Johns and 
never forget the sacrifice he made and never forget our responsibility 
again to end the world of hatred.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to a valued member of our 
Committee on Natural Resources, the gentleman from American Samoa, Mr. 
Eni Faleomavaega.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and our ranking 
member, Doc Hastings, and the members of the committee for bringing 
this important resolution to the floor. I also want to commend both 
gentlemen, Congressman Klein and Congressman Pence, as co-Chairs of our 
Caucus on anti-Semitism. Of course, the memory of Tom Lantos evokes all 
of the understanding that we have and appreciation for this important 
issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to personally express my deepest condolences and 
sympathies to the family and friends of Officer Johns, who was killed 
unexpectedly yesterday as a result of a shooting by a man who harbored 
so much hatred against members of our Jewish community.
  Officer Johns, for some 6 years, served faithfully as a security 
officer there at the museum. He was doing his job. He made the ultimate 
sacrifice, and we are here to honor him and his life. He gave his life 
in order to save the lives of others.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that every person who visits our Nation's Capital 
makes it a point--a must--to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum. This 
revered museum is a symbol of our Nation to the world that racism, 
bigotry, ignorance, and hatred have no place in our country. This 
museum reminds the world of the suffering of some 6 million Jews, and 
we should never forget that, if it happened to them, it could also 
happen to us.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Illinois, Mr. Jesse Jackson.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Last night, Mr. Speaker, I tried to explain 
this horrific event to my daughter when she asked me why. I tried to 
tell her that African Americans fought for our country in World War II, 
and a Holocaust survivor once said and told the story of

[[Page 14857]]

how survivors of the Holocaust knew they had been freed when African 
Americans showed up, knowing full well, because of their race, that 
they could not be Nazis even if some African Americans had to fight 
under a different flag.
  African Americans and Jewish Americans banded together in many of our 
Nation's great campaigns for social justice. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
used to often quote Rabbi Abraham Heschel. Schwerner, Goodman, and 
Chaney--two Jews and a black killed for registering people to vote in 
Mississippi.
  Stephen Tyrone Johns lost his life defending visitors at a Holocaust 
Museum in the hands of a white supremacist. As I believe President 
Lincoln would paraphrase: Their sacrifice as martyrs is far above our 
own ability to add or detract.
  I would hope in this moment that we would recognize that the ties of 
human decency and dignity that bind us and the blood that unites us are 
stronger than the hatred and the demagoguery and the acts of violence 
that divide us. It is my sincere hope, Mr. Speaker, that we might find 
some shining moment in recognizing that we have more in common in 
working together than we do in fighting and in being apart.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California, Ms. Jane Harman.
  Ms. HARMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, less than a mile from this Chamber, a hate crime 
occurred yesterday. It occurred in a place of remembrance--a sanctuary. 
That sanctuary, the Holocaust Museum, has meaning for everyone here. It 
has special meaning for me because my father was a refugee from that 
Holocaust, and most of his family was killed in it. One exhibit in the 
Holocaust Museum is a wall of shoes taken from innocent men, women and 
children before they were gassed to death. Who were they? What lives 
would they have led? Would their children have ended up serving here as 
I have?
  In the memory of Officer Johns and 6 million innocent Jews, it is 
time, past time, to end hate.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Tennessee, Mr. Steve Cohen.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Jackson expressed much of what I've 
thought about as to the events of yesterday.
  People who hate--and this assailant hated Jews and blacks in 
particular--hate all people and minorities.
  With that in mind, I think it's important that people reflect and do 
something positive with their children and with themselves in the 
future as an antidote to the type of hate that we saw. That is to bring 
your children to the Holocaust Museum. Let them learn about the horrors 
of the Nazis and of the camps. Come to Memphis to the Civil Rights 
Museum and learn about civil rights. Go to Atlanta where Dr. King is 
buried, and learn about Dr. King and nonviolence. Take steps to learn 
about ways to make the world better.
  It's unfortunate what happened yesterday. It's so awful at that site, 
but it is awful that it happened anywhere and that Mr. Johns did lose 
his life. We must appreciate all the guards who protect American order 
and liberty.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Serrano). The Chair will note that the 
gentleman from West Virginia has 7 minutes remaining.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Michigan, Mr. Gary Peters.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, my district is the home of the first 
freestanding Holocaust Museum in the United States of America. For 25 
years, it has stood as a reminder of the horrific consequences of 
extremism and hate.
  Just a few months ago, the founder of that museum, Rabbi Charles 
Rosenzvieg, passed away. Although he is gone, his life's work will 
educate future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust so that 
such senseless violence should never again be repeated. Last month, 
this body passed a resolution honoring his life and memory.
  So it is with an especially heavy heart today that I come to the 
floor to urge the passage of Resolution 529, a resolution condemning 
the violent attack on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on 
June 10.
  The Holocaust Museum exists as a place to reflect and to mourn 
murderous prejudice and hatred. Yet, yesterday, a senseless attack, 
motivated by the same prejudice and hatred, resulted in the tragic 
death of a security guard, Stephen T. Johns. It is a sad reminder that 
we must all remain vigilant in continuing the work of Rabbi 
Rosenzvieg--to purge discrimination and hatred from this world.
  I thank Congressman Klein for sponsoring this important resolution.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz).
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to all of 
those who have denounced the hatred and violence in condemning 
yesterday's tragic attack at the U.S. Holocaust Museum and to extend my 
thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Officer Stephen 
Johns.
  Racism, anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred are not new. Sadly, 
they continue to impact too many people here and around the world. As a 
child of a Holocaust survivor, I know all too well the destruction and 
suffering that hate can bring. This same kind of intolerance that my 
mother faced in Austria in the 1930s still feeds the actions of foreign 
terrorists and domestic hate groups.
  The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is more than a museum--it 
feels like a sacred space. It is a place that enables us to acknowledge 
and remember the horror that was the Holocaust--and it is a place for 
reflection on the horrific consequences that hate can bring and a 
reminder that we must remain ever-vigilant against hate's many 
manifestations. Yesterday's despicable act reinforces the need for the 
important work done by the Holocaust Museum.
  We all have a role to play in combating bigotry and intolerance 
wherever it may be, and it is a sad reminder of the work we still have 
to do that yesterday's tragic crime occurred so soon after President 
Obama's historic trip and his strong rebuttal of those who deny the 
Holocaust.
  So it is with a heavy heart that I join my colleagues in offering my 
sympathies to the family of Officer Johns, and that I commend the 
work--the wonderful work, the important work--of the U.S. Holocaust 
Memorial Museum, and that I pledge to do my part in never forgetting.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Minnesota, Mr. Keith Ellison.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to do two things: one, to 
offer condolences and thanks to the family of Officer Johns for his 
brave sacrifice and, also, to point out that Officer Johns dedicated 
his life to protecting the staff and visitors of an institution 
dedicated to remembering both the depths of human depravity and the 
heights of courage and bravery, as we must understand that the 
Holocaust Museum was not simply a place to remember loss, awful loss, 
but also courage in standing up to great adversity.
  May we all celebrate the life of Officer Johns and of the 6 million 
Jews who were murdered and memorialized in the Holocaust Museum by 
going to the Holocaust Museum, by supporting that museum and by showing 
defiantly that we will not be cowards and that we will not be deterred 
from standing up for what is right.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California, Ms. Diane Watson.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, lest we forget, we must constantly be 
vigilant that we have people in this country who still harbor hate. As 
we go looking around the world for those who would do mass carnage, we 
need to look right inside of ourselves and see what is happening among 
too many of our people.
  Officer Johns was there. I understand he opened the door for the 
person who shot him, but he represented a minority, and the shooter 
went to a place where he could show his anger, his hate, his hostility. 
As long as these kinds of people allow this to grow within them, we are 
all at risk. As long as we let guns go unregistered and let

[[Page 14858]]

them out there and in the hands of these people, each and every one of 
us is at risk.
  So it is now the time not only to give our condolences to the family 
of Officer Johns, but to take a step in the right direction for the 
right policy that will keep this in our minds every day of our lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 529, 
condemning the violent attack on the United States Holocaust Memorial 
Museum on June 10, 2009, and honoring the bravery and dedication of 
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum employees and security 
personnel.
  I express my deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and colleagues 
of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns who lost his life as he stood guard at 
the museum. Officer Johns was only 39 years old; and standing six feet, 
six inches tall, was known as a ``gentle giant''. He was lovingly 
called ``Little Stephen'' by his family and ``Big John'' by his 
colleagues. Officer Johns must always be remembered in our hearts and 
minds as a hero.
  Mr. Speaker, hatred must not be tolerated, and acts of violence must 
be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York, Mr. Eliot Engel.
  Mr. ENGEL. I thank the gentleman, my friend from West Virginia, for 
yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise, of course, in support of this resolution. We are 
all shocked and saddened about what happened yesterday. The Holocaust 
Memorial Museum is a museum dedicated to victims of genocide, and to 
have any kind of hatred perpetrated in that museum is an absolute 
disgrace. My heart goes out to Officer Johns and to Officer Johns' 
family in that he was doing what so many wonderful people do--protect 
the public and protect us. His life should not have been taken.
  Mr. Speaker, hatred is a terrible thing. The person who did the 
shooting reportedly has a long history of hating Jews, of hating 
African Americans, of hating Catholics--of just about hating everybody. 
We need to do something about that. We need to teach our children that 
hatred isn't a part of mainstream anything and that people need to 
respect our fellow human beings.
  I also want to say something about guns, because we really need to 
deal with the problem of guns in this country. I would like to know why 
the assassin who served in prison for 6 years as a felon and who was a 
known hatemonger was able to get ahold of a gun. This is a problem, and 
we need to deal with it.
  So I thank my friend, and I rise in support of this resolution.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I would advise Mr. Hastings that I am 
prepared to close with one final speaker if he wishes to use the 
balance of his time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good resolution, and it is responsive to what 
happened yesterday at a place where something like this should never 
happen. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for the resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of my time to the 
sponsor of this resolution and commend him for the quickness with which 
he has brought this to the floor, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Klein).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 
2 minutes.

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