Jodey Arrington: “I thank my fellow Texan, Representative Fallon, for the opportunity to speak. To my colleague, Judy Chu, I have enjoyed…”

“I thank my fellow Texan, Representative Fallon, for the opportunity to speak. To my colleague, Judy Chu, I have enjoyed working with her and serving with her on the Ways and Means Committee, and I have respect for her. Let me be clear, Madam Speaker, the Atlanta shootings were heartbreaking and absolutely unconscionable. I condemn, as I imagine all of my colleagues do, all hate and all violence against any person for any reason. I mourn for all Americans who have lost their lives to any senseless act of violence. Today, my colleagues have brought forth a resolution that I believe is laced with political jabs and unsubstantiated assertions about labeling a virus by its geographical origin. To say that the term ``Wuhan virus'' drove this individual to commit unthinkable crimes is both premature and illogical, and it needlessly politicizes this horrible tragedy. It is inappropriate, and I believe it is unwise, for Congress to presume a motive in the middle of an ongoing investigation. For the sake of our country, we must stop politicizing heinous acts of violence committed by sick, evil individuals. We must stop making claims that supersede and ignore personal responsibility. When an individual commits a crime, they are responsible for that crime, and our judicial system is there to ensure that the individual is held accountable and brought to swift and certain justice.…”