Bob Menendez: “I rise today with an incredibly heavy heart to talk about the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Today families and loved ones…”

“I rise today with an incredibly heavy heart to talk about the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Today families and loved ones across the Nation are grieving. A community, a college, and a nation are struggling to mourn the loss of more than 30 of its best and brightest. I rise to speak today because, as we know, it is not just Virginia that is suffering, but this is a pain that is felt all across the country. This tragedy hit particularly close to home in New Jersey. At least three New Jersey families have suffered unspeakable losses. They are enduring any parent's worst nightmare--losing a child. These three young people had yet to carve out their path in life, but each had promising ambitions, dreams they hoped to fulfill, and diverse interests that would, no doubt, have left their mark in this world. Matt LaPorte, a 20-year-old from Dumont, was a talented student and musician who hoped to serve in the Air Force. He was in the Air Force ROTC attending Virginia Tech on a scholarship. A former Boy Scout, Matt was known as a gifted cellist and was a drum major in his school's marching band. Julia Pryde, from Middletown, had graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in biological systems engineering and was working on her master's degree. She was drawn to environmental engineering and was interested in clean water issues in South America, a passion that would no doubt have led her to further travel and work abroad.”