Amy Klobuchar: “I want to thank Senator Smith and my colleagues for being here today to stand up for the State of Minnesota, for our…”

“I want to thank Senator Smith and my colleagues for being here today to stand up for the State of Minnesota, for our Nation, and for our Constitution. In the last year, we have too often come to the floor to discuss tragedies in our State. This summer, an assassin killed our friend Melissa Hortman, the former speaker of the Minnesota House, and her husband Mark. We were, once again, shaken to our core when a mass shooter attacked Annunciation Catholic Church right in the middle of mass--children in their first week of school--when 2 children were murdered, with 21 more people injured, including 18 kids. In recent weeks, Minnesota has, once again, been at the center of America's heartbreak, but we are also at the center of America's courage and hope. We honor Renee Good today--Renee Good, who left behind three children, including a 6-year-old, when she was shot and killed by an ICE agent. Her wife said this: ``Kindness radiated out of her. . . . She literally sparkled'' and asked everyone to ``honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion.'' We also honor the memory of Alex Pretti, a VA intensive care nurse who did one of the most selfless jobs people can think of: caring for our veterans, often in their final hours. He was a man described by his friends and family as a kind-hearted soul. Both Renee and Alex should be alive today. It is not just these horrific killings.…”