On the recordJuly 22, 2020
On June 12, 2016, a lone gunman walked into the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle. That night, the shooter killed 49 people and injured 53 others. At the time, it was the largest mass shooting in American history. The Pulse nightclub is in my district, but I was not in Congress at the time. When I saw the Members of Congress taking to the floor and holding a sit-in, I was not surprised that the person leading the way was Representative John Lewis. To him, the victims were a part of the big family John Lewis often spoke about. Thank you, John, for never discriminating. Thank you, John, for never leaving people behind. Galatians 5 defines the fruit of the spirit as love, peace, long- suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. John Lewis was all of that to the House, to the Nation, and to the world, and I am grateful for his friendship and his counsel and grateful for a life well-lived.
