On the recordOctober 21, 2015
Today marks 3 weeks since the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg that cost nine innocent Americans their lives. As that tragedy fades from the headlines, the daily tragedy of gun violence in America drums on. Last week, in south Florida, Janel Hamilton was shot to death by her godmother's son while watching TV. She was 19 and dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Last weekend, in Chicago, a 3-year-old boy named Eian Santiago was shot to death by his 6-year-old brother. They were playing cops and robbers. Last night, in New York City, police officer Randolph Holder succumbed to a gunshot wound in the head. He was responding to gun violence in East Harlem. In the last 96 hours alone, 91 Americans have lost their lives to gun violence. That is nearly 1 person killed by guns every hour in the United States. The American people expect us to take action. They expect us to stand up to those who fight to prevent us from taking action; yet, hour by hour goes by in this Congress without hearings, without debate, and without action. Mr. Speaker, I will be back next week and the week after that and the week after that. Gun violence won't stop until this Congress takes action, and neither will I. ____________________
