June 26, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 118 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 118
(House of Representatives - June 26, 2020)
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[Pages H2544-H2548] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3094) to designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3094 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL. (a) In General.--The Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, is designated as the ``National Pulse Memorial''. (b) Effect of Designation.--The national memorial designated by this section is not a unit of the National Park System and the designation of the National Pulse Memorial shall not require or permit Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to that national memorial. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) and the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida. General Leave Mr. SOTO. Madam 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 measure under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? There was no objection. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, on June 12, 2016, a gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured 53 others in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. It was the single deadliest known violent attack on the LGBTQ community, the deadliest violent attack in America at that time, and an attack on our Latino community, our African-American communities, and so many others. After this tragedy, our city came together. Doctors, first responders, and friends rushed to save the wounded; others donated funds, supplies, even their blood. Countless works of art, gifts, and letters were left at impromptu memorial sites paying tribute to the victims and survivors. We came together in candlelight vigils across the globe to grieve and remember. We became truly Orlando Strong in the face of adversity for the whole world to see. As we continue to honor 49 angels, we remind the world that love will always conquer hate in the end. The designation of the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial honors the lives taken, as well as the survivors, first responders, and an entire central Florida community. Together, we will open minds and hearts and make the Pulse Memorial a national symbol of hope, love, and change. I thank my Orlando area colleagues, Congresswoman Val Demings and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, for joining me in leading this important bipartisan legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3094, offered by our colleague from Florida (Mr. Soto). A little over 4 years ago, on June 12, 2016, the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, became the scene of the worst terrorist attack on American soil since September 11, 2001. Forty-nine Americans died and 53 were injured that terrible night at the hands of an ISIS-inspired coward who turned on the very country where his parents had sought refuge from the violence in Afghanistan. Instead of gratitude, he unleashed hatred and violence upon this country that had sheltered his family and made it possible for him to be born into a land of freedom and opportunity. The poisonous political ideology that infected and animated him in his attack--and to which he pledged allegiance just before the attack-- is a familiar nemesis to the founding principles of our country. [[Page H2545]] This craven and wanton attack reminds us of the threats of Islamic extremism both at home and abroad: that they are real, that they are malignant, and that they are deadly. In the aftermath of this terrible attack on the patrons of the Pulse nightclub, its owner established a nonprofit called the onePULSE Foundation to memorialize those who died in this mass murder, known simply as ``the 49.'' The foundation worked quickly to establish a memorial in Orlando, but recently began working with Orlando's mayor to launch a design competition for a permanent memorial and museum slated to open in 2022. This bill would redesignate the Pulse Memorial in Orlando as the National Pulse Memorial. The bill makes clear that this memorial will not be a unit of the national park system, and a designation as a national memorial does not require any Federal funds to be expended. The House's action on this bill today complements the United States Senate's resolution passed on June 11 of this year honoring the victims of this outrage, as well as the State of Florida's designation of June 12 as Pulse Remembrance Day. I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California and our friends across the aisle for their support. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings). Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, it is time to make the Pulse nightclub a national memorial, and the reason is that what Pulse symbolizes is relevant to all Americans. Let me say this: Orlando does not need Congress in order to honor the 49 victims, nor the 53 who were wounded that night. We have honored them and will continue to do so for as long as their memories live on. But it is still the right thing to do, that Congress take this action today, because, by making Pulse a national memorial, we honor not only the victims, but what they stood for, what they represent, and what our country could be and should be. Pulse is in my district. It was a sanctuary. It was a place where Orlando's LGBTQ residents could find safety and friendship. The people there that night were not in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were exactly where they were supposed to be, among friends and loved ones, taking joy together in what my bishop referred to as a late night fellowship. Isn't that worth celebrating? Isn't that worth protecting for every American? Could there be any right more basic? And that is why we are here: to honor and remember them. We will continue to grieve for those we lost and to help those who survived. We will continue together and remember. We will continue to act on gun violence and civil rights, for the survivors of Pulse have called upon us to honor those we lost with action, not just words. Today, with this vote, we state that Pulse was a national tragedy not only for what it was, but for what it meant; and it will be a national memorial not just to commemorate our past, but to guide our future. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers on our side, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline). Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank you, who brought me to the site of this horrible tragedy and allowed me to see the warmth and beauty of your community in response to it. Four years ago, 49 people were murdered in a violent, hate-filled mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. In the days that followed, we saw and heard stories of courage, bravery, and resolve. But mostly, there was unspeakable pain for those who lost someone in this attack. And although I pray that the passage of 4 years has brought some measure of relief, the truth is that their pain will never fully go away. It is critical that we designate this memorial today so that our country never forgets those who are lost, but it is also important to take action so this never happens again. Individuals convicted of hate crimes should never own a gun, and that is why I introduced the Disarm Hate Act--to do just that. If you commit a hate crime, you shouldn't be allowed to own a gun, period. We know that those who commit hate crimes become increasingly violent as time goes on. {time} 1115 No American family should have to suffer because of this loophole. Let's disarm hate once and for all. We will never forget the 49 young people who lost their lives at the Pulse club in Orlando, the extraordinary response of the first responders, and the hospital facilities that provided miraculous care that prevented so many other lives from being lost. Let's do all that we can to prevent the next hate-filled tragedy. Again, I salute Orlando Strong for the magnificent and nurturing response of the entire community to this devastating attack on all of us. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz). Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to commend Congressman Soto, Congresswoman Demings, and the gentlewoman from Florida (Congresswoman Murphy), who is in the Chair, on this incredibly important legislation. I traveled to attend a memorial service in the aftermath of the tragedy at Orlando's Pulse gay nightclub to mourn with the stunned community how the confluence of bigotry and weapons of war conspired to steal 49 innocent lives. I remember the feeling of numbness and agony. It was so hard to grasp that in 2016, visitors to Pulse that night suffered a violence that far too often plagues LGBTQ-plus communities and communities of color, but this time on a mass scale. They were targeted for who they were. Out for the evening, they assumed it was safe to be themselves, to live their truths, and yet their precious lives were snuffed out. But in this darkest of moments, Floridians opened their arms to embrace and heal one another. They vocally denounced bigotry, whether it was aimed at our LGBTQ-plus or Hispanic communities, or too often both. They would not stay silent. Even public figures who were not always clear LGBTQ-plus allies stood up and made a commitment to equality. It was an encouraging moment of solidarity amidst such tragedy. Most Floridians responded by drawing closer than ever before. Two years later, my community endured similar heartache and anger when 17 students and educators were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Days after that horrific school shooting, I was in Orlando and visited Pulse, where spontaneous messages of love and sadness were left behind. As I added my message to the thousands hanging on banners there, I saw Pulse was not simply a site of tragedy and pain. It was a hallowed place to remember and honor all the individuals who were lost. But it was also now a public space affirming that equality, justice, and love are worth rallying to and fighting for. Making Pulse a national memorial would, most importantly, properly honor those we lost way too soon. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz). Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, but it would also elevate that site so that millions of Americans might turn our collective pain into collective action. In passing this bill, I hope visitors the world over will be inspired by a community that emphatically declared that love and hope will always triumph over prejudice and violence. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell). Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 3094, a bill to designate the National Pulse Memorial. [[Page H2546]] On June 12, 2016, a shooter hatefully took the lives of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Those who died were sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers, fathers, and loving members of Florida's communities. This tragedy brought grief and pain to all parts of the Nation, to Florida, including my very own district, and to the LGBT community. That evening at the nightclub was Jerry Wright. His parents, MJ and Fred, are part of our community in south Florida. They described Jerry as a wonderful, loving, and caring son. He was there that evening, like any other evening, enjoying Latin music with friends, and from 1 minute to the next, his life was cruelly taken from him. He was only 31 years old. We all know that Jerry did not deserve this. His parents and family did not deserve this. I am very close friends now with the Wright family, and I know firsthand the anguish and the pain that they go through every single day, Mother's Day, Father's Day. That pain never goes away. I know that personally, Madam Speaker, because I have also lost a loved one tragically to gun violence. So the pain that the families and the friends of 48 other people who lost their lives the same way is still present today. Just over 4 years later, now it is time that we designate the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial. This memorial will honor the memory of those who died that evening. It will ensure that loved family members like Jerry Wright are never forgotten. It will reflect on the pain that their families are still suffering. But most importantly, it will serve as a reminder that we as a country have to stop this violence and disarm hate. This memorial is a testament to those who died, and it is a mandate that we do more to stop it from happening again. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Murphy), my neighbor in central Florida. Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding to me. Four long years have passed since a gunman walked into my community and took the lives of 49 innocent people at the Pulse nightclub. At that time, the events marked the largest mass shooting in this country, and to this day, it remains one of the largest incidents of a hate crime in our history. Most of the victims were members of our LGBTQ community in Orlando, a community that created Pulse to be a safe place to be themselves, a place where hate and violence could not reach them. It took one lone gunman to shatter that reality. But it is up to us on this day, 4 years later, to take it back. We owe it to those we lost to honor their memories by dedicating a national memorial at Pulse, a memorial that reflects the same love, acceptance, and spirit of community that embodied the victims and that embodies the LGBTQ community at large, a place of healing for the survivors and all those affected, a welcoming place for all those seeking inspiration to act, to create a better, safer, and more inclusive Nation. By taking this important step, America is telling the world that we will never let hate win, that we won't forget the victims, and that we will fight to ensure no community will ever go through something like this again. God bless the Pulse victims and their families. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I would inquire if the gentleman is ready to close. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I have three more speakers. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano). Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Four years ago, during Pride Month, our country awoke to the devastating news about a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The Pulse nightclub, a safe haven for the LGBTQ-plus community in Orlando was the target of an act of hate. Forty-nine lives were taken and 53 were wounded after a gunman opened fire. The victims and survivors were LGBTQ-plus and members of the Latinx community. This shooting was one of the deadliest attacks on LGBTQ-plus Americans in our history, and it left our community hurting, fearful, and skeptical about the progress our Nation had made towards acceptance, understanding, and belonging for LGBTQ-plus people. Four years later, we are still grieving, we are still healing, and we are still demanding action to make equality the law of the land and to end gun violence in America. When I visited Orlando to pay my respects to the victims and to honor their memories, what I saw at Pulse during such a painful time gave me hope. I saw a community that had come together to condemn hate, to reject intolerance, and to celebrate the lives of every single soul that was lost that night. Our community's pride and the bravery we exhibit when we choose to embrace our identity, even in the face of hate and homophobia, is proof of how resilient we are. Designating Pulse as a national memorial would honor the lives of those lost and it would forever stand as a symbol of pride, hope, and courage, which will always triumph over hate. Madam Speaker, as the co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, I thank Representative Soto for his leadership, also Representative Murphy and Representative Demings. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3094. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the vice chair of our caucus. Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, almost 4 years ago today, I joined with my colleagues and my friend, Congressman John Lewis, in leading a sit-in on this very floor after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. We could not stand for another moment of silence. We could not stand for another day of inaction. We could not stand for another mass shooting in America. We sat in protest. The House Democrats stopped the work of Congress because Congress had stopped working for the American people. Now, 4 years later, our commitment to ending gun violence and hate remains absolute. Making the Pulse nightclub a national memorial will honor the 49 lives lost in Orlando and will declare that love is love. Today, during Pride Month, we celebrate these lives and we honor them, but we can't stop there. We need commonsense gun violence prevention measures now. Within weeks of taking the majority, House Democrats passed two bipartisan gun safety bills. To this day, they remain stalled in the Senate. COVID-19 is not the only public health crisis in this country. We lose 40,000 Americans a year to gun violence. We cannot waste another day. We ask the Republicans in the Senate to pass our legislation, end this sickening cycle of gun violence in our country. Choose love, choose peace, recognize that gun violence is often the lethal partner of racism and bigotry. With this national memorial, we will have a physical manifestation of our commitment to end gun violence and to have equality for all. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I would inquire how much time we have remaining. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Murphy of Florida). The gentleman from Florida has 4\1/2\ minutes remaining. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). {time} 1130 Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, this is a somber moment, and I thank the gentleman from Florida for not only his passion but his recognition that America should never forget. I thank the Speaker pro tempore for letting us remember all the faces and [[Page H2547]] families and loved ones that were impacted. Forty-nine lives, I believe, were taken in one moment, with an act of violence by a crazed gunman, with a gun. We have been trying to stand in the gap, with background checks passed the very first moment under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, gun violence legislation that has no impact on the Second Amendment but seeks to derail the kind of crazed gunman that was able to take these lives before first responders could come. I remember hearing the stories of families waiting outside of the Pulse nightclub, saying they heard from their loved one but had not seen them because they were making their last-minute cries for help. This memorial would say to America that we are not a nation of bigots, of xenophobia, racism, hatred. We are a nation of respect and dignity. I know the families of those who died at the Pulse nightclub are still in pain and will never forget. But it is the duty of the United States Congress, with our voices raised, to say that the book that I have been holding on to over the last 2 days, to fight for justice in policing, to talk about D.C. statehood, this book, this Constitution, which George Washington said he would use as a guide, that he would never abandon, everyone has the right to decency and life and due process. I enthusiastically support this legislation to give dignity to the lives, and for America never to forget those lives, at the Pulse nightclub. Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the House of Representatives, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3094, ``To designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes.'' I am voting for H.R. 3094 because it not only memorializes and honors the 49 people who tragically lost their lives from this horrific act of violence, but it also stands as a symbol to the LGBTQ+ community, to our Latino community, to our nation, and to the world, that we will not stand for or tolerate acts of hatred against marginalized persons. Madam Speaker, you will remember that the Pulse nightclub shooting took place on June 12th, 2016 in Orlando, Florida when a gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured 53 others. It was the single deadliest known violent attack on both the LGBTQ+ community and our Latino community. The Pulse nightclub was a haven for the LGBTQ community to live, love, and dance. They came for music, celebration and fellowship. Over four dozen would leave the Pulse Nightclub with their names added to a list of fatal victims of gun violence . In the aftermath, we saw communities come together and support one another. We saw doctors, first responders, and friends rush to save the wounded. Others donated funds, supplies, and even their blood. There were countless murals and other artworks, gifts, and letters left at impromptu memorial sites, paying tribute to the victims and survivors. Our nation refused to let hate win. We came together in the form of thousands of candlelight vigils to grieve, remember, and heal. By passing H.R. 3094 today, we seek to create a permanent reminder that this act of violence and other heinous instances of bigotry are not emblematic of America or its true values. It will also remind us that it is our duty as a society to be better and do better in terms of standing up against hate in all its forms. I ask all members to join me in voting for H.R. 3094, ``To designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes.'' Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the names of the 49 victims we lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting. Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old; Amanda L. Alvear, 25 years old; Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26 years old; Rodolfo Ayala Ayala, 33 years old; Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old; Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old; Angel Candelario-Padro, 28 years old; Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 years old; Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old; Cory James Connell, 21 years old; Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old; Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old; Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old; Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old; Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old; Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22 years old; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old; Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old; Frank Hernandez, 27 years old; Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old. Javier Jorge Reyes, 40 years old; Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old; Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old; Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25 years old; Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old; Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old; Brenda Marquez McCool, 49 years old; Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25 years old; Kimberly Jean Morris, 37 years old; Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old; Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 years old; Geraldo A. Ortiz Jimenez, 25 years old; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old; Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old; Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old; Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old; Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, 27 years old; Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35 years old; Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old; Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old; Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old; Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old; Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old; Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 years old; Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old; Luis Sergio Vielma, 22 years old; Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velazquez, 50 years old; Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old; Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank you and him for making this important memorial possible for us today. I rise to solemnly join my colleagues to honor the 49 beautiful souls murdered 4 years ago in an unfathomable act of hatred and bloodshed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. I thank Congressman Darren Soto for giving us this opportunity of observing and for being a voice for peace and healing for all of those affected. Pulse was a peaceful haven where young LGBTQ Americans could enjoy music, dancing, and celebration, knowing they were in a sanctuary of safety and solidarity. Pulse was a monument to joy, a tribute to resilience and pride born out of the grief that Barbara Poma experienced after losing her brother, John, to AIDS. That was her motivation for starting that. May the grief that we experience now at the loss of 49 who were murdered move us to turn our pain into purpose. This poster is all of them. But some time after the terrible tragedy, we stood on the steps of the Capitol, holding their individual pictures. At that time, we said: We will never forget. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to keep that promise to turn pain into purpose. Shortly after the horrific act of hatred at Pulse, I had the solemn privilege of traveling to Orlando and meeting with survivors and families who had lost loved ones. Their message to the Congress, to a person that I met with there, was: Please, do something to stop gun violence. Yet, painfully, since that tragic night, the horror that we saw in Orlando has been replicated in countless other communities across the country. In too many places, the epidemic of gun violence has killed too many innocent people and left too many families suffering unimaginable pain and loss. As one of the first actions of our majority last year, the House took action to end the bloodshed by passing H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112, H.R. 8 so designated because it had been 8 years since the assault on the life of our colleague Gabby Giffords. She survived. She is doing remarkable things, in terms of trying to end gun violence. But other people died. Hence, H.R. 8, as it was 8 years since. Then, H.R. 1112 was Mr. Clyburn's legislation to address what happened in South Carolina. 485 days, nearly 500 days, later, we continue to urge the Senate to take up this legislation, supported broadly, Democrats, independents, Republicans, gun owners, hunters, many of whom have had to pass background checks in order to have their guns and to enjoy their sport and protect themselves. They are not against background checks. Across the country, this has broad support, nonpartisan support. Yet, in the Congress of the United States, there is resistance to that safety of simply commonsense background checks. It isn't as if we were starting something new. This is just an expansion of the background checks that already exist to include gun shows and online sales, et cetera, just an expansion. [[Page H2548]] I remind my colleagues that an average of 100 people die every day from gun violence. Let me restate, it has been almost 500 days since the House passed those bills and the Senate has failed to take it up-- almost 500 times 100 a day. We see the consequences. Not that all of them would have been saved, but some, many, would have. Many have been saved since the original background check legislation passed. Four years later, 4 years after Pulse, our grief remains raw. But our resolve to end the deadly scourge of gun violence and hatred-- discrimination, that it was about, too--remains unwavering. Strengthened by the memories of those who were lost to gun violence-- 49 souls here, and so many others--inspired by the spirit of hope that we celebrate during Pride Month, especially this weekend, let us never relent in our mission to end the horror of gun violence once and for all and end discrimination against anyone in our community. Madam Speaker, I thank and commend Mr. Soto, and I urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I again want to commend Mr. Soto on this bill. In closing, it is important to note that the attack that we remember with this legislation was directed against all Americans, not just the patrons of the nightclub that night. The killer made this abundantly and chillingly clear. He declared himself an ``Islamic soldier'' and declared his allegiance and obedience to the terrorist leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This was an attack motivated by hate, hatred against our country, hatred against all that our country stands for. I think we can take some solace in knowing that Americans today retain their right to defend themselves against such attacks, that such terrorist attacks like this should remind us how important our Second Amendment rights remain today. We can also take solace from the fact that al-Baghdadi, the inspiration for this terrorist attack, was hunted down and brought to justice in October last year by American Delta Force commandos, as he shielded himself with children, who he killed when he detonated a suicide vest rather than to be taken prisoner. Madam Speaker, in memory of the 49 Americans killed by this terrorist attack, I ask for an ``aye'' vote in this House today. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We all agree this was an attack motivated by hate, and today, we recognize the 49 angels we lost and the 53 who were injured during the Pulse nightclub shooting. Vigils occurred across this Nation, across the political spectrum, after this deadly shooting. I can tell you, on behalf of Congresswoman Demings, Congresswoman Murphy, myself, and our region, we want to thank everyone for doing that. We want to thank our colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, for coming together: Chair Grijalva, Ranking Member Bishop, Mr. McClintock, Miss Gonzalez-Colon, Mr. Fitzpatrick. We appreciate all the work being done in the Senate. Today, we recognize the memory of these 49 angels across our Nation by making this the Pulse National Memorial. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3094, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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