[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 8770]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE ORLANDO SHOOTING VICTIMS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming grief that America now 
feels warrants this body to continue to offer our sympathies and 
concern to those families now in the most dire of conditions; that is, 
those families whose loved ones are no more, who died on what was to be 
a joyous occasion, socializing, as we do as Americans, and those 
families who are hovering over sickbeds for those who are injured.
  I rise this morning to again give them my sympathy and my respect. 
What the American people want to see from this body is action.
  I rise as well to pay tribute to the LGBTQ community all over the 
Nation. In my hometown of Houston, Texas, over these last tragic days, 
we have come together with them and the Muslim community. The Muslim 
community is making a very strong stand that they stand with those 
fallen and killed, those who were part of the LGBTQ community. The 
Muslims were strong. They were Americans. They were prayerful. They 
were imams, and they were civilians.
  We prayed. We heard from a Catholic deacon. We heard from a Christian 
Presbyterian minister in a press conference when we came together on 
Sunday in the midst of the unbelievable. We came together in Houston 
and advocated for unity and respect. We quoted scriptures that said to 
love one another.
  We joined President Barack Obama in taking the moment not to 
politicize but to speak that we must come together. Calling names and 
defining what a radical religion is or not will not answer any 
question. It may make some feel good, but it will not answer for the 
basis of the violence of Mr. Mateen.
  I do believe that the American people are mourning and giving our 
love and letting them know that they are not alone; they will not walk 
this place alone. I use that because I listened to that rendition by an 
Orlando choir as the names and faces of the 49 were shown on 
television. In the quietness of my office, the emotion was 
overwhelming.
  So I think it is immoral. It is clearly a response to the depravity 
of this Nation if my colleagues cannot come together and do something 
this week. Ban the assault weapons. Join us in recognizing that this is 
not a violation of the Second Amendment. Pass the no fly, no buy bill. 
If you are on the terrorist watch list, why are you getting assault 
weapons?
  Then H.R. 5470, introduced by my colleague, Congresswoman Brown, the 
Representative of Orlando--where the tragedy and terrorist act 
occurred--and myself, gives added tools to the FBI that says that if 
you have had any encounter with Federal law enforcement, as you 
purchase a gun, you must make that known so that it can be a trigger; 
and if you do not respond, you still must have that reported to the FBI 
so that a thorough investigation can be had.
  I don't believe that we can leave this week without answering the 
concerns of the American people. I make a plea to organizations that we 
know have consistently stood in blocking the door of sensible, 
responsible gun safety legislation, to go on their knees and pray for 
humility and guidance and to be able to seek some other place of 
responsibility than their own selfish interests.
  Dead people cannot speak. Their families are overwhelmed with grief. 
The injured are filled with grief and are trying to recover.
  This Congress must pass the no fly, no buy bill. It must pass a ban 
on assault weapons. It must enhance the various tactics that our law 
enforcement can have to stop a heinous terroristic and horrible 
killing--a massacre, a slaughter.
  Mr. Speaker, I say that we will be in the band of the immoral if we 
do not do something today. To those who mourn in Houston, I wish I 
could be with you. I thank the mayor and all of those who will come 
together this evening. My spirit is with you. I love you.

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