[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8879-8880]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               GUN REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. Esty) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, 6 months ago tomorrow, Newtown experienced 
unimaginable tragedy and unparalleled loss.
  That loss, the painful loss of sons and daughters, spouses, siblings, 
and friends, is still very raw and will always run very deep for the 
people of Newtown. Yet, in the face of that unimaginable tragedy on 
that day and on the days since, this small community that has been 
through so much has inspired our Nation with tremendous courage and 
resilience.
  Americans have been inspired by the sixth grade educators who gave 
their very lives to defend and protect their students.
  Americans have been inspired by the brave first responders who 
arrived on the scene to save others and live with the trauma of what 
they saw that day.
  Americans have been inspired by the Sandy Hook families who, despite 
living with the pain that one can only begin to imagine, have responded 
to loss not with anger or hate, but with unbelievable love, strength, 
and courage.
  They've taken their call to action to Hartford, where a comprehensive 
set of commonsense gun laws passed with bipartisan support. They've 
taken the call to action to State capitols around this country. And 
they've taken that call to action here in Washington, but here they've 
faced inexplicable political cowardice.
  Mr. Speaker, in the 6 months since that terrible day, since we lost 
26 precious lives in Newtown, nearly 4,800 Americans have also lost 
their lives to gun violence. But during that same time, this House has 
not held a single vote on commonsense gun reform to reduce and prevent 
gun violence, not even enhanced criminal background checks.
  Forty-six Senators blocked an up-or-down vote on enhanced background 
checks. This is a reform that the members of the Newtown community have 
asked our elected leaders to support. It is a reform supported by over 
90 percent of the American people, and it is shameful that we have not 
yet had a chance to vote.
  Yet, in spite of that obstruction and misinformation, these families 
and this community have refused to give up. On Tuesday, I was honored 
to again meet

[[Page 8880]]

with several of the Newtown families as they traveled here to continue 
to lead the push for commonsense gun laws, and I'm honored that several 
members of that community of the Newtown Alliance are with us here in 
the gallery today.
  In meeting with the families, I was given pictures of their loved 
ones that they've been handing out to elected officials from across the 
country.
  This photo of school psychologist Mary Sherlach reads:

       One of six educators who, on December 14, became first 
     responders equipped with just their lives. Can you show the 
     same courage with your vote?

  On this card, we have a picture of Dylan Hockley, with these words:

       Honor his life. Stand with us for change. Now is the time.

  Here's the picture of precious Dylan Hockley.
  With this card, we have the photo of 6-year-old Benjamin Wheeler, who 
asks:

       What is worth doing?

  Mr. Speaker, these words, these faces, these lives mark the call to 
action for Newtown. They mark the call to action in Hartford and 
Aurora, Chicago, Santa Monica, and every community torn apart by gun 
violence.
  The sad truth is that this Congress has not met this call to action. 
This Congress has not shown the courage to pass commonsense gun 
reforms. But the good news is that it is not too late for this Congress 
to do better, and now is the time.
  We must do better for Mary. We must do better for Dylan. We must do 
better for Benjamin and for Charlotte, for Daniel and Olivia, for 
Josephine, for Ana and for Madeleine, for Catherine, for Chase and for 
Jesse, for James, for Grace and for Emilie, for Jack, for Noah and for 
Caroline, for Jessica, for Avielle and for Allison, for Rachel, Dawn, 
and Anne Marie, for Lauren and Victoria.
  We can and we must do better.
  These families cannot forget and will not give up. Neither can we.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McHenry). Members are reminded that it 
is not in order to refer to occupants of the gallery.

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