Donald M. Payne: “I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, Congresswoman Plaskett, for hosting tonight's Special Order hour on the…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, Congresswoman Plaskett, for hosting tonight's Special Order hour on the Federal Government's response to natural disasters. I believe that Ms. Plaskett and the experience that she has had in her homeland can open our eyes to the devastation that has taken place in the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico as well. It is unthinkable what these American citizens have been through over the last several weeks and will continue to suffer for months into the future. Before I begin, I have a message for the families and the friends of the 58 innocent people whose lives were taken and the more than 500 who were injured in Las Vegas overnight: The country's compassion and thoughts go out to you. Our hearts break with yours. For those injured, know that the American people are praying for your recovery. To the first responders who put their lives on the line daily: Thank you. What went down in Las Vegas last night was an act of terrorism. There is no other name for it. A deranged man with a small arsenal of firearms in a hotel room shot into a crowd of people at a concert. For an hour and 12 minutes, people watched the chaos unfold. All the moments of silence in the world won't change what happened last night in Las Vegas, last year in Orlando, the year before in Charleston, and the list goes on. Moments of silence used to be for showing honor or respect.…”