Veronica Escobar: “Monday, August 3, will mark 1 year since El Paso, Texas, became the target of a killer who confessed to driving over 600…”

“Monday, August 3, will mark 1 year since El Paso, Texas, became the target of a killer who confessed to driving over 600 miles in order to stop what he called the ``Hispanic invasion'' with his AK-47. In a horrific act of domestic terrorism, he killed 23 people, injured 22, and devastated all of us. This wasn't only another tragic outcome of America's gun violence epidemic, but also a result of America's hate epidemic fueled by racism and xenophobia as well as rhetoric coming from the most powerful leaders in the land. One year later, we still don't have laws that make us safer from gun violence, and we still face a reckoning on hate. My community continues to confront hate with love and to honor the victims and survivors. In that spirit, it is my privilege today to introduce legislation that honors the victims of the August 3, 2019, attack and designates the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a national memorial. ____________________”