On the recordJune 12, 2017
Mr. Speaker, ``There will never be an end.'' That is how Emily Addison described the love and the loss she feels for her partner and the mother of her son, Deonka Drayton. Deonka was one of 49 victims killed at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando 1 year ago today. She was one of hundreds who had gone to Pulse that night as a place of celebration, a place of joy, and a place of pride. We mark 1 year since the worst mass shooting in our history, an act of terror against the LGBT community, and we mark this somber event today during Pride Month. This day creates enormous tension for the LGBT community and its allies. Our hearts are broken for the victims and for their families. We are angry, we are frustrated, yet we are still filled with pride. We are proud of the lives they lived, though they were cut far too short. Today, I stand with the LGBT community. And together, we stand against hatred, we stand against terror, and we stand for love and for pride, pride that has no end. ____________________
