Establishing the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will join the gentleman from Texas in expressing my anger and disgust at the cowardly attack on the former President in Butler, Pennsylvania, a couple of weekends ago. What happened at that rally was horrific and un-American.

When the news first broke, my thoughts immediately turned to the former President's family, and the uncertainty and fear they must have felt. Our families are often the ones who shoulder the burden of the decisions we make, and I know that must have been an awful day for them.

I am truly grateful that the former President is okay. I am also heartbroken over the death of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, who selflessly shielded his own family from the bullets. Of course, I will continue keeping the other two victims who were seriously wounded in my prayers.

Sadly, political violence is not new to this country. One of my earliest memories is actually of sitting around our dining room table with my mother and my father and my two sisters in Worcester, Massachusetts, writing condolence cards to Ethel Kennedy in the wake of Robert Kennedy's assassination. It was an awful, awful thing. I hope our country never goes through that ever again.

We don't yet know the motive of the would-be assassin, and there are still many unanswered questions. We know he was a disturbed, isolated young man, who happened to be a registered Republican who had easy access to an AR-15. He was doing computer searches on both Republicans and Democrats, on the rally in Pennsylvania, as well as the Democratic National Convention.

We also know that an assassination attempt is more than just an attack on one person. It is an attack on the fabric of our democracy, and so it needs to be taken very, very seriously.

There needs to be accountability, and I will just caution here that accountability does not mean finger pointing. I actually want to echo the remarks of the former President's family to say that many brave law enforcement officers and Secret Service agents put their lives on the line at that rally. They nearly took a bullet for the former President, and they ought to be applauded for their bravery.

I also think we shouldn't be jumping to conclusions about which law enforcement agency or officer is to blame, whether it is this leader or that leader or this person or that person. We don't need to play the blame game. We need to know the facts. We need to get the facts.

Clearly, there were major breakdowns in communication and planning, which is why we need a task force to investigate every aspect of what happened. Let them examine what went wrong, and let us make sure this never, ever happens again.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me just say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania that I agree. One of the reasons why I think there would be overwhelmingly bipartisan support for this task force is because people want to get the answers. What happened, and how do we make sure that it never happens again?

Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot of talk about the need to turn down the temperature in this country moving forward. I put out a bipartisan statement alongside my friend, Chairman Burgess, the day after the assassination attempt, and we talked about how to move forward.

The bottom line, we agreed, is that we can have loud, passionate, even at times angry debates in this country. That is the way it goes in a democracy as big and diverse as ours, but at the end of the day, we are all Americans who love this country deeply, and we must resolve our differences peacefully.

I think Robert F. Kennedy, a hero of mine whose life was taken by an assassin's bullet when I was just 8 years old, said it best. ``A sniper is only a coward, not a hero, and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of the people.

``Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily, whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence, whenever we tear at the fabric of life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole Nation is degraded.''

Mr. Speaker, what was true in 1968 is true today. Our common bond as Americans demands that we speak out against violence and condemn it whenever and wherever we see it. We can't pick and choose. It needs to be condemned all the time, even when it is not easy or convenient to do that.

That hasn't always been the case, if we are being honest, and that makes me sad. It makes me sad that we had some people make fun of Speaker Pelosi's husband, Paul, when he was violently attacked with a hammer.

We need to come together, Mr. Speaker. We need unity. We have people who still refuse to condemn what happened on January 6, when a violent mob beat up police officers and tried to execute Vice President Mike Pence, right here outside the Capitol Building. Police died that day.

I am comfortable condemning political violence all of the time, period, end of discussion. I think the bipartisan nature of this resolution is a sign of hope for me that we will move even further in that direction.

I know the gentleman on the other side is as well comfortable calling out violence wherever it may occur, but we need to get to a place in this country where all of our colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, feel compelled to do the same.

I hope we get to that point because political violence is against everything America ought to stand for.

When the Founders of this country put pen to paper, they imagined a future where reason would triumph over fear, a world where the ballot, not the bullet, would determine who would wield power, a Nation where the consent of the governed, not the fear of force, would confer legitimacy upon our leaders.

Generations of Americans have worked hard to turn those dreams into a reality, to expand the circle of our democracy and make real the promise of this country for all. Political violence is the ultimate betrayal of that work. It is a dead end that leads only to disaster.

What happened on July 13 was an awful, cowardly, despicable attack, something that should never ever have happened, and I hope that this task force gets answers on behalf of the American people.

We need to know what happened. We need to get to the truth. We need to find a way to prevent this from ever happening again.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues here in urging a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following newsletter to give an update to my constituents on issues surrounding the attempted Trump assassination and Israel:

Dear Friend,

I voted in favor of H. Res. 1367, Establishing the Task

Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump,

which would fully examine all actions related to the

attempted assassination.

Our nation was shaken by the assassination attempt on

President Trump, which tragically took the life of Corey

Comperatore.

It has become clear since then that numerous security flaws

and failures made it possible for the gunman to open file on

President Trump.

The American people deserve transparency and

accountability. We must make sure that what happened at the

rally in Butler, Pennsylvania does not happen again.

Kimberly Cheatle, who just resigned as director of the

United States Secret Service, refused to voluntarily provide

answers that would allow us to figure out what went wrong.

The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission, but

it failed when the shooter attempted to assassinate President

Trump, took the life of an innocent victim and harmed others.

A comprehensive investigation is necessary to understand

what went wrong that day so we can learn how to prevent this

from happening in the future.

While obvious security gaps were present, I commend the

bravery of the individual Secret Service agents, local law

enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services, who took

immediate action to protect and care for President Trump.

America stands with Israel

As Israel continues to fight for its right to exist, I

remain committed to supporting one of our staunchest Middle

Eastern allies.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

addressed a joint meeting of Congress where he eloquently and

directly addressed the world on why Israel has the right and

must defend itself and what the implications are for world

peace and stability.

While the House of Representatives has stood with Israel,

many on the radical left have turned their back on Israel.

They have chosen to withhold critical military aid that is

necessary for Israel to defend itself and defeat the

terrorist organization, Hamas, and have instead sided with

pro-Hamas leftists.

As an embarrassment to the traditions of joint sessions of

Congress, Vice President Kamala Harris skipped Netanyahu's at

a time when it has never been more critical to show the world

that America stands firmly with our ally.

Some of the major bills I helped pass in support of Israel

following the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7 include measures

to:

Provide an additional $14.1 billion in emergency

appropriations in support of Israel's efforts to defend

itself against Iran and Iran's terrorist proxies, and to

replenish U.S. defense assets in the region.

Strengthen U S sanctions against Iran.

Condemn the International Criminal Court's decision to file

applications for arrest warrants against Prime Minister

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Create a legal definition of antisemitism to protect Jewish

people and students on college campuses facing

discrimination.

U.S.-Israel relations are not only vital to providing

stability in perhaps the most volatile region of the world,

but our principles and values are closely aligned, and the

U.S. must not waver in our ironclad support for Israel.

WNC wins in WRDA 2024

Even more positive news for our district: The House passed

the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which

includes two of my bills, the National Dam Safety Program

Amendment Act and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act.

The passage of this legislation benefits Western North

Carolina by strengthening dam safety for the more than 750

dams in out district and providing funding to improve water

and wastewater infrastructure.

The following projects are included in WRDA 2024:

Authorization of $41 million for water and wastewater

infrastructure, including stormwater management in Canton

Authorization of more than $3 million for water and

wastewater infrastructure in Robbinsville

Authorization of $4 million for water and wastewater

infrastructure in Weaverville

Authorization of $1.5 million for water and wastewater

infrastructure, including water supply in Murphy

Army Corps of Engineers study on flood risk management,

including riverbank stabilization, along the Catawba River in

Marion

Army Corps of Engineers study on flood risk management

along the Pigeon River in Clyde and Canton

Military Veteran Stand Down Celebration

Veterans have made great sacrifices to defend our freedom,

and it is only right that we now serve them by supporting

their transition to civilian life.

I was blown away by the turnout and involvement of everyone

who participated in the Military Veteran Stand Down

Celebration that I hosted with Henderson County.

More than 130 folks attended the event, and 21 resource

vendors were available to share how they can assist veterans.

I appreciate all who showed up for our veterans and

military families who have made great sacrifices to serve and

protect us.

Attention: Military Service Academy Day is on August 17

My office will be hosting a Military Service Academy Day on

August 17 in Haywood County for WNC high school students to

learn about the application and nomination process for

military service academies. I look forward to meeting

students who are interested in learning how they can advance

their academic and professional careers while serving our

great nation.

Representatives from the service academies and members of

my team will be at the event to answer any questions.

Visit my website for more information here.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the resolution (H. Res. 1367) establishing the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 1367, the measure under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on the afternoon of July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, a 20-year-old man walked across a barren field just outside a rally for Donald Trump with a rifle, a transponder, and a cell phone. He previously flew a drone over the site.

The man was able to traverse the field, climb up to the roof of a building, position his rifle at the President, and take at least five shots, killing one, injuring two others, and grazing the head of the former President.

Thankfully, the man was neutralized shortly thereafter by the efforts of a nearby Secret Service countersniper team, but not before killing former fire Chief Corey Comperatore, who was struck as he protected his family from the oncoming gunfire, and critically wounding David Dutch and James Copenhaver.

We are here today not just because this domestic terrorist was able to carry out this violent act, but also because he did not go undetected. Several eyewitnesses and firsthand accounts confirm that they had not just spotted the individual, but had also alerted authorities.

A recent BBC article noted sources identified the individual as a person of interest 52 minutes before the first shot rang out and was again located 20 minutes prior, climbing a warehouse roof.

Yet the individual was able to get to an unacceptably close distance and fire at our former President undeterred and came within a millimeter of tragically altering the history of this election and our Nation. The toll taken on civilians and attendees will forever remain an indelible stain.

The Secret Service not only failed to protect the President, but they failed to protect everyday Americans who were placed in harm's way, and that led to tragic consequences, taking a loving father away from his wife and children in the process.

The apparent failures at protecting a former President and now Presidential nominee are deeply troubling for their own sake, but also for the ramifications of the security of those trusted at the highest levels of our government currently and in the future.

H. Res. 1367 establishes the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump. The task force will be empowered with all of the investigative authority of the House of Representatives, including subpoena authority to investigate the events that led to this heinous attempt at political violence and intimidation.

Mr. Speaker, this is election interference in the extreme. Political violence is unspeakably evil, and it is un-American regardless of political creed. That is why this task force will be bipartisan with the chairman and ranking member working together, drawing conclusions, and recommendations based on input from witnesses and from each other.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my fellow member and friend, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, for sponsoring this critical legislation. It was his district where this occurred.

Through the work of this task force, we will understand what went wrong on the day of the attempted assassination, what led to these failings, hold those responsible accountable, and make the necessary reforms to prevent this from ever happening again.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), the sponsor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce), a member of the Pennsylvania delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), a valuable member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly), the sponsor of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, political violence--this was election interference in the extreme.

Just an hour, an hour and a half ago, in this very Chamber, the Prime Minister of Israel spoke with us. One of his comments was that there is no room for political violence in a democracy. I agree with him. I am so relieved that the Secret Service Director did resign.

How do you comport the idea that it was reported that there was evidence of an Iranian plot against the life of Donald Trump, and then you let a teenager wander over that field for an hour and fly a drone overhead? It makes no sense that that could have happened. Of course, the only answer for the Director of the Secret Service was resignation.

More than that, we as a body, we as a Congress, need to put together this task force to understand and get to the bottom of what occurred on July 13. It is our duty.

It is our duty. It is our duty for the sake of future leaders of this Nation. It is our duty for our children and grandchildren. We have to understand the circumstances that allowed the assassination attempt to occur and, of course, to ensure that it never happens again.

I once again urge all my colleagues to support this critical legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, tonight, I rise in support of my resolution, H. Res. 1367, which would establish a task force on the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.

First, I will recognize and honor the life of a true hero, Corey Comperatore, who was tragically killed shielding his family from gunfire during former President Trump's campaign rally in my hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

I also will take a moment to offer our thoughts and prayers for two Pennsylvanians who were also injured during the shooting and continue to recover, Mr. David Dutch of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and Mr. James Copenhaver of Moon Township, Pennsylvania.

I, of course, offer thoughts and prayers to former President Trump and his recovery. He showed incredible strength in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

First of all, Corey Comperatore was a constituent of mine from Sarver, Pennsylvania.

Corey graduated in 1992 from Freeport High School and went on to serve his country as a dedicated 10-year veteran of the United States Army Reserves.

Corey's passion for his community and his Christian faith led him to serve as an active member at the Cabot Church and a member of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as chief in the early 2000s.

Above all, Corey was a loving husband and father. His obituary reads, ``the quintessential family man and the best girl dad.''

Together, his love for his wife, Helen, and his daughters, Allyson and Kaylee Comperatore, will carry on. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of Corey Comperatore.

Mr. Speaker, on July 13, 2024, the Nation watched in horror as a gunman attempted to assassinate the Republican Party's nominee for President, former President Donald J. Trump.

This day will go down in infamy in American history, but nowhere more so than in my hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania, where it will always be remembered that the assassination of former President Donald Trump took place.

I have lived in Butler literally my whole life. I went to high school there. My wife and I have raised our family there. I have coached Little League football and Little League baseball, and our family business is there. Now, I am fortunate enough to represent my town right here in the United States House of Representatives. I can tell you that my community is grieving. They are shocked by what happened in our backyard.

The people of Butler and the people of the United States deserve answers. I am proud to introduce this bill to establish a task force to get to the bottom of how this unthinkable tragedy could ever have occurred.

This bipartisan task force will have investigative authority, including subpoena power, to thoroughly analyze the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt and ensure that these failures that occurred that day never happen again.

I thank Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Chairman Burgess, and our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with us to stand up this task force.

When the American people lose faith, trust, and confidence in their government, then the question is going to be who will fix it. The answer is we are. We are.

In this House, we are the ones that are going to fix it. The American people deserve to know, and we have the responsibility to find the answers for them.

President Trump deserves answers, the Comperatore family deserves answers, and the American people deserve answers. I will not rest until we get these answers for all of our constituents and fellow Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Burgess for this opportunity to finish up as well as Mr. McGovern on the other side of the aisle.

I think, at this point, this is not about Republicans or Democrats. This is about a tragedy that happened in a small town in western Pennsylvania, which never should have occurred.

I think it is really important, as the American people watched this whole

scenario, to answer: How could that possibly have happened? What didn't we know, or what did we know that we didn't react to? Why, at the end of the day, are there more questions than there are answers?

We can't get answers that, I think, are very simple.

For a person who grew up there, and I know that site so well, I was concerned when that site was picked because I thought it would be a very difficult place to have a rally of that size.

This is not a criticism of law enforcement. This isn't a criticism of whoever it is that picked that site. This is an opportunity for this House to work together to settle the doubts that the American people have, the faith, trust, and confidence that they need to have in us that we can work together, both sides of the aisle, when we have a crisis like this.

It goes far beyond politics, and it goes far beyond policies. It is truly American in every sense.

Mr. McGovern is present with us today, and I thank Chairman Burgess so much, and I think this more than anything else can demonstrate to the American people that we can work together. We can work together as Republicans and Democrats to get answers for the American people, answers that they deserve and answers that they have been wondering about since July 13.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas, very much for yielding time.

I rise today in support of H. Res. 1367, which forms a task force to address the shocking attack on President Trump. I thank my colleague, Mike Kelly, very much for bringing this resolution to the floor.

This attack tragically took the life of a brave Pennsylvanian, Corey Comperatore.

As an eyewitness to this event, along with my colleague, Mike Kelly, I stand here on behalf of the American people, especially Pennsylvanians, who deserve answers to critical questions about this tragedy.

Why was the building the gunman used allowed to be outside of the security perimeter? Why was there no Secret Service stationed on the roof? Why wasn't there a plan executed and a high sense of emergency and urgency taking place?

Director Cheatle's remarks the other day did nothing to inspire confidence or for us to believe that this situation is going to be corrected appropriately and in a high-priority manner.

Senseless political violence demands nothing else than a unified response from both Democrats and Republicans. We must come together and form a bipartisan task force to uncover the truth and provide answers.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy and proud to support this legislation, H. Res. 1367, which aims to achieve just that.