On the recordJune 14, 2016
I rise to address the tragic events in Orlando, FL. In the early hours of Sunday, a gunman walked into Pulse, a popular, crowded LGBT nightclub, on Latin night and opened fire, taking the lives of 49 people and wounding 53 more in an act of terror that has been called the worst mass shooting in American history. It was also the deadliest attack on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community that our Nation has ever known. State and Federal authorities are continuing their investigation into the assailant and what his motives were that night. I believe 44 of the surnames of those who died were Latino. According to the FBI, the shooter had previously been investigated for potential ties to terrorist organizations, and during the attack, the shooter called authorities and pledged his allegiance to ISIL. We must do everything in our power to eradicate this evil, combat recruitment and radicalization, and we must make sure our efforts and our rhetoric do not scapegoat an entire community based on the actions of a single sick individual. The investigation is ongoing, and many details are still emerging, but we know this: The 49 men and women who lost their lives on Sunday night were murdered by a man with hate in his heart--perhaps even hate directed within--and an assault weapon in his hand. Following each and every tragic shooting, one thought haunts me, and that is that we in Congress are failing the American people.…
