[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11812]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SERVICEMEMBERS KILLED IN CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE

  (Mr. FLEISCHMANN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday was a very difficult day 
in my beautiful hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was a day of 
horror; it was a day of terror, and it was a day like no other I have 
lived in my life.
  Today, I am joined in this great House by my colleagues from the 
Tennessee delegation. Chattanooga is my hometown. A lone gunman--a 
terrorist, an evil man--killed five wonderful United States 
servicemembers, four marines and one sailor. At two locations in 
Chattanooga, he opened fire. There was devastation; there was death, 
and there was horror, and I am so deeply saddened.
  Before I ask Members for a moment of silence, I am going to ask this 
great House--the people's House--for something special because, through 
all the carnage in the face of evil, I saw Chattanoogans come together 
with good. In the face of despair, I saw Chattanoogans come together 
with hope.
  I saw something in my darkest hour; I saw the greatness in America. 
Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Whites, Blacks, and Latinos came 
together. We prayed together. We hoped for better days together. We 
honored the men and women who serve us in all of our branches together. 
I feel for our great marines. I feel for our Navy in these difficult 
times.
  Let me tell you this: the Chattanooga Police Department selflessly 
showed up and fought this terrorist and killed him. Hamilton County 
police were there. While a brave sailor tried to cling to life, I saw 
throngs of doctors and nurses at Erlanger hospital giving their best 
skills to try to save this man. Sadly, they were unsuccessful.
  This is a day I never want to see again. I ask you that we resolve to 
keep all American servicemen and -women safe here on American soil. We 
must do that. We owe that to those five wonderful lives that we lost, 
all precious.
  I am going to ask for all of us to be Chattanooga strong. I am going 
to ask all of us to please come together as Americans.
  I will read the name of those five outstanding folks: United States 
Marine Gunnery Sergeant Thomas J. Sullivan; United States Marine Staff 
Sergeant David Allen Wyatt; United States Marine Sergeant Carson Allen 
Louis Holmquist; United States Marine Lance Corporal Squire Kimpton 
Paul Wells; and United States Navy Petty Officer Second Class Randall 
Smith.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence in honor of these great 
Americans.
  The SPEAKER. The House will observe a moment of silence.

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