On the recordMay 11, 2023
Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago, a racist, hateful individual traveled to my community of Buffalo, New York, to commit mass murder at a supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. Armed with an AR-15 assault weapon, he shot 13 people, killing 10 of them in less than 2 minutes. It is often said that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Retired Police Officer Aaron Salter, Jr., the security guard on duty that day, was a good guy with a gun, but he was outgunned by the bad guy with a bigger gun, and his weapon was no match for the military-grade body armor the shooter wore. Body armor designed for war zones has no place in our neighborhoods. The Aaron Salter, Jr., Responsible Body Armor Possession Act prohibits civilians from buying and selling enhanced body armor. It protects communities as well as law enforcement answering the call when public safety is at risk. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense safety bill for the Buffalo community and for the many others who have forever been changed by mass shootings. ____________________





