Michael Bennet: “I would like to first thank my friend--and I do not mean that in the political sense, I mean it in the real sense--the…”

“I would like to first thank my friend--and I do not mean that in the political sense, I mean it in the real sense--the senior Senator from Colorado, the Presiding Officer from Colorado, for his incredibly thoughtful remarks about the tragedy last week in Colorado. I cannot think of any more fitting place to be than here with the Senator tonight to have this conversation. So I thank the Senator very much for his words. In just a few dark moments last week, in Aurora, CO, 12 innocent lives were taken from us--12 people, full of life and aspirations, loved by family and friends, and now 12 people remembered by an entire nation. As the Presiding Officer said, thousands of Coloradans attended a vigil hosted by the city of Aurora on Sunday evening. We shared tears and prayers. We also resolved to support one another, to heal, and to always remember those who lost their lives on July 20, 2012. It is for that purpose that the Presiding Officer and I come to the floor this evening. The first is Jonathan Blunk, age 26. Jon was a father of two who moved to Colorado in 2009, after three tours in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea for the U.S. Navy. He was a certified firefighter and EMT. Jon lost his life protecting his friend Jansen Young from the gunman's line of fire. Jon shielded her from gunfire by pushing her to the ground while shots were fired.…”