[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17285]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRAGEDY WITH NO POLITICAL BOUNDARIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Dold) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DOLD. Madam Speaker, the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, 
highlights an issue. And I think so often in this Chamber, actually, we 
talk about things that separate us, things that we have political 
battles and fights over. Unfortunately, on Friday, a tragedy occurred 
in Connecticut, taking the lives of far too many--20 children--and is a 
tragedy that knows no political boundaries. These are children that had 
their entire lives in front of them. On Friday, like many of us here, 
we were back at home in our districts. After hearing the news, many of 
us went to our schools to pick up our children to hug them just a 
little bit longer.
  This is a tragedy, Madam Speaker; and, frankly, it highlights a 
number of issues that many of us have talked about on the floor today: 
it's about the mentally ill; it's about what we can do as a country to 
make sure that, yes, we have a Second Amendment. And many of us here 
even in this Chamber, Madam Speaker, are gun owners. But I do believe 
that we are all for responsible gun ownership. And I do believe that 
there are reasonable restrictions that can be put in place.
  But today, Madam Speaker, it's not about that for us. Today, I rise 
because America is hurting. The country is looking for answers--answers 
that I'm not so sure will come immediately. As we look at the pictures 
of these first-graders, of these kindergartners, we ask, Why? Those 
answers won't come today. Those answers might not come next week. What 
we do know is that our job, our basic function, is to make sure that we 
try to provide an environment throughout our country where people can 
achieve their dreams. That ought to be something that, again, is not a 
Republican idea or a Democrat idea. That's an American ideal and the 
American Dream.
  A very sick individual robbed 20 children and six adults of their 
American Dream. I would like to think that they're in a better place 
today. I take some solace in my faith that I don't understand the Grand 
Plan and that the good Lord does. But what I will say is that we all 
believe that this was a senseless killing and tragedy. I hope we can 
learn from it.
  I hope those in Newtown, Connecticut, feel the warmth of the Nation 
that is sending their thoughts and prayers to them this day, especially 
as we look forward to the holidays in front of us. We will all say a 
special prayer for those that have been lost so needlessly in this act. 
I hope our country can come together. I hope we can focus on the 
American Dream and the opportunity for all children and all Americans 
going forward.

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