Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. In August, D.C. police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder of victims number 117 and 118, just two of the latest to die this year due to gun-related violence.

These murders occurred just north of Union Station in the vacant, dilapidated Temple Courts high-rise and townhouses. This is an area to be razed in the coming months, and although a new structure will rise-- erasing the tragic events that lead to their deaths; these two young men, and dozens of others like them, had names and families and hopes and dreams of their own.

Victim no. 117, JohnQuan Wright, was only 18 years old. And 1 month later--victim 118's name has yet to be released. While their deaths were acknowledged in passing via the press, there remains little to no outcry that more than a hundred victims, most of them young men in the prime of their lives, have been lost to violence--most of it with a gun--this year in Washington, DC.

Americans of conscious must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, unfortunately I have been out on medical leave. I have been unable to cast votes however:

Had I been present for rollcall No. 570, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 569, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 568, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 567, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 566, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 565, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 564, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 563, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 562, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 561, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 560, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 559, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 558, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 557, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 556, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 555, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 554, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 553, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 552, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 551, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 550, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 549, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 548, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 542, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 541, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 540, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 539, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 538, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 537, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 536, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 535, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 534, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 533, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 532, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 531, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 530, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 529, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 528, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 527, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 526, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 525, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 524, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 523, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 522, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 521, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 520, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 519, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 518, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 517, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 516, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 515, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 514, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 513, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 512, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 511, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 510, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 509, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 508, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 507, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 506, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 505, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 504, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 503, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 502, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 501, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 500, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 499, I would have voted ``aye. Had I been present for rollcall No. 498, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 497, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 496, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 495, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 494, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 493, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 492, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 491, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 490, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 489, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 488, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 487, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 486, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 485, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 484, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 483, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 482, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 481, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 480, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 479, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 478, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 477, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 476, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 475, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 474, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 473, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 472, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 471, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 470, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 469, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 468, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 467, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 466, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 465, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 464, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 463, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 462, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 461, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 460, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 459, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 458, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 457, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 456, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 455, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 454, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 453, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 452, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 451, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 450, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 449, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 448, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 447, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 446, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 445, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 444, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 443, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 442, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 441, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 440, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 439, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 438, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 436, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 435, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 434, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 433, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 432, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 431, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 430, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 429, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 428, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 427, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 426, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 425, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 424, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 423, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 422, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 421, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 420, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 419, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 418, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 417, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 416, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 415, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 414, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 413, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 412, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 411, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 410, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 409, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 408, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 407, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 406, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 405, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 404, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 403, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 402, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 401, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 400, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 399, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 398, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 397, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 396, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 395, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 394, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 392, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 391, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 390, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 389, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 388, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 387, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 386, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 385, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 384, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 383, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 382, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 381, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 380, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 379, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 378, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 377, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 376, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 375, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 374, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 373, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 372, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 371, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 370, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 369, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 368, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 367, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States, a significant number of those deaths stem from a lethal weapon wielded by a mentally ill assailant. Such was the case, last week, in a small town in Washington state where reports say that a 28-year-old young man killed Skagit County Deputy Sheriff Anne Jackson, and five other men and women who were also in the line of fire.

How did this happen? The assailant's grieving mother, Dennise Zamora, said her son had refused treatment for mental illness for years and, for much of that time, he had been living, literally, in isolation in the woods of the town of Alger where the rampage took place. Mrs. Zamora called police that day in a desperate cry for help as she'd noticed her son invading her neighbors' homes. The responding officer, Sheriff Jackson, was someone who had even tried to help Zamora's son obtain treatment.

My condolences are extended to these victims, this community and the Zamora family in the wake of these senseless deaths.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States.

I have another story of unnecessary violence. This time the location is in the city of San Diego. According to reports, 27-year-old Miguel Leon-Fregoso was with a group of friends at a bar early this morning when, upon leaving, he was involved in a verbal altercation outside. Minutes later a man shot Miguel in the face. Thus, in yet another quick, mindless instance--another young life has been taken.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will Americans say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to voice my full and enthusiastic support for H. Res. 1324. With violence on the rise in many communities, including my home district of Chicago, I have committed myself to raising the issue of gun violence within the U.S. Congress. We must effectively address this issue and begin to repair the devastation that it has caused for countless families, communities, and neighborhoods.

Since February, I have been speaking of the ``Daily 45s'', the number of casualties the Department of Justice reports that our Nation suffers every day due to gun violence. Though the number of gun shot fatalities that Americans endure here in our own communities dwarfs the number of daily casualties our troops suffer in two war zones combined, in Iraq and Afghanistan, it saddens and frustrates me that this issue is not being discussed more here in Congress.

As a country, we are not doing enough to address this deadly issue. That is why I proudly support H. Res. 1324, which asks the President to focus appropriate attention on neighborhood crime prevention and community policing, and to coordinate Federal efforts to participate in National Night Out on the first Tuesday in August.

Additionally, like my Communities in Action Neighborhood Defense and Opportunity (CAN DO) bill, which I will soon be introducing, H. Res. 1324 provides Federal support to assist local efforts in addressing the issue of violence. This bill assists community watch groups by supporting local officials in an effort to promote community safety and help secure our homeland.

It is past time for Americans of all races, classes, and geographic locations to come together and put an end to the senseless violence that is gripping our Nation. H. Res. 1324 goes a long way in bringing this deadly subject into the light and forcing all of us to deal with this devastating problem. I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure as well.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the U.S. Last weekend, the nation's attention was riveted by the shocking act of a gunman who felt comfortable walking into a church, on Sunday, and opening fire. This incident, at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, was especially horrific because of the loss of life--two, to date--as well as the long-term scars it will leave on the children who were participating in a choral presentation for their families and friends.

As sometimes happens in these incidents, there was a hero involved who martyred himself to protect others. Such was the case, this time, as church members told police that 60-year-old Greg McKendry, without blinking an eye, saw what was happening and, literally, placed his body in the line of fire. I extend a heartfelt prayer to the church community, Mr. McKendry's family and the other victims whose sense of peace was violated.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, I certainly want to commend and thank my chairman of the full committee, Chairman John Dingell, for his extraordinary leadership in this Congress, particularly in the conference on this particular bill. I want to thank him for his long- standing friendship and for his preoccupation with the affairs of the American people. He is a man who deserves a lot of praise and honor.

Madam Speaker, today is a day unlike any other day. It is a joyous occasion, because this Congress has demonstrated to the American people that we are capable of reaching across the aisle in a bipartisan fashion to solve a major consumer crisis.

It is also a special day, because today marks my return to this Congress following an extended medical leave. With God's grace, with the support of skilled medical professionals at the University of Chicago Medical Center, I can stand here and announce to my colleagues, to my constituents and to the Nation that I no longer have cancer in my body.

Madam Speaker, before I directly address H.R. 4040, there are several people I would like to thank. First, I give all thanks to God for all of you, especially

for your prayers, as I bear witness that the prayers of the righteous avail much.

I want to give honor and thanks to my dear wife, Carolyn, and my family, who journeyed with me through the valley of the shadow of death.

I specifically would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, who called me several times to check on my well-being. I also again would like to thank John Dingell, who called many times. I would like to thank my colleague from Chicago, Congressman Danny Davis, who showed his love and concern for my well-being. I would like to thank the chairman of the CBC, Carolyn Kilpatrick, who called many times. Chairman Charles Rangel wrote me numerous letters encouraging me. And I would like to thank my good friend from New York, Ed Towns, for all of his indications of support and well-being. Lastly, I would like to thank Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida. All of these individuals were prominent and prolific in their concern and care for me and in their well wishes.

I am also grateful for the prayers and support of my constituents in the First Congressional District of Illinois, and a host of others throughout the U.S. and around the world. My standing here today is a testimony to your prayers and to God's grace.

So, Madam Speaker, I stand here today. After decades of neglect, this 110th Congress will soon pass landmark legislation that comprehensively overhauls and reforms our consumer product safety laws and revitalizes the beleaguered Consumer Product Safety Commission.

This conference report represents over a year's work. It represents careful, often painstaking negotiations between House and Senate Democrats and Republicans. It wasn't easy, but, in the end, conferees were willing to make smart compromises and bridge their many divides. Indeed, this conference report is the very definition of bicameral, bipartisan cooperation.

Madam Speaker, on May 15 of last year, I held my first hearing on toy safety in the subcommittee. Since then, the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously reported to the House floor H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, and the House passed the bill 407-0.

The gentleman thanks the gentleman for yielding.

Today's conference report draws on the strength of both the House and Senate-passed bills. It fundamentally strengthens the CPSC's regulatory authority and effectively bans lead and certain phthalates in children's products.

It creates a publicly accessible database on consumer products, mandates laboratory testing of all toys, provides whistleblower protection to private sector employees, improves cooperation between the CPSC and the U.S. Customs and Border Control, and empowers State Attorneys General with the injunctive authority to enforce Federal law. In sum, the conference report on H.R. 4040 weaves and deploys a wide safety net that will snare the dangerous consumer products before they enter the stream of commerce and into our homes.

Madam Speaker, I want to again thank my dear friend, Chairman John Dingell, for his unbelievable leadership during the conference. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to one of the finest members of this body, to the distinguished ranking member and former chairman, Mr. Joe Barton of Texas, for his unwavering cooperation. Mr. Barton, along with Mr. Whitfield and Mr. Stearns, have shown a remarkable commitment to bipartisanship, and their willingness to compromise cannot be overstated. And the same can be said for the other House Democratic conferees, Mr. Waxman, Ms. DeGette, and the vice chair of the subcommittee, Ms. Schakowsky.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the staff of the CPSC for all of their hard work and dedication throughout this process. Lastly, I want to thank both the Democratic and Republican staff of the subcommittee. They put in long hours. I want to lift up Consuela Washington, Judith Bailey, Andrew Woelfling, Valerie Baron, and Christian Fjeld. I brag about the subcommittee staff. Madam Speaker, I have the best subcommittee staff in the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. While most of the gun violence stems from crime, far too often a loaded weapon in the hands of an emotionally distraught individual leads to tragedy.

Such was the case, two days ago, when the economic impact of the nation's housing crisis took a toll on a Massachusetts family. In a moment of despair, 53-year-old Carlene Balderrama took her life with a gun on the day that her mortgage company was set to sell her foreclosed home.

Balderrama was a wife and mother of a young son whose desperation found relief at the end of the barrel of a gun. Her suicide shocked the small, quiet town of Taunton, a community with origins that stem from the birth of our nation. In a tragic twist, before she killed herself, Mrs. Balderrama faxed a note to her mortgage company saying, ``By the time you foreclose on my house, I'll be dead.'' While any number of intervening forces could have made a difference, in an instant, a gun took away those options. My heart goes out to her family and her community on their loss.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Chicago is but one of several American cities that are struggling through an escalating wave of gun-related violence this summer.

On Monday, in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago's Far Southside, 15-year-old Percy Rounds, a promising young man, lost his life to an unknown assailant. Like a bad scene from an all-too-familiar movie, Rounds was shot to death by a gunman who sprang out of a gangway. Sadly, for several days prior to Rounds' murder, local residents said they'd heard a steady stream of gunfire throughout their neighborhood. Think about that. A steady stream of gunfire in a residential community.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to Percy Rounds' family and friends. His grieving aunt described her nephew this way, ``He was a good kid. He gave himself to the Lord. He's been going to church faithfully every Sunday. He wasn't in a gang.'' His aunt, a nurse, had the presence of mind to share these sentiments after trying valiantly to stop the bleeding from a fatal wound to her nephew's head.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Chicago is but one of several American cities that are struggling through an escalating wave of gun-related violence this summer.

Last weekend, in a scene reminiscent of a military checkpoint in Iraq, police had to cordon off the streets of the Trinidad section of Washington, D.C. This was in response to a series of shootings and stabbings that left at least 11 people wounded and two people dead. Among the gunshot victims was 13-year-old Alonzo Robertson, a young boy who was vacationing with family and friends when he was murdered.

As police continue to investigate Alonzo's senseless death, I not only grieve this child's loss but I mourn the violation of a sense of community of the people who live in the Trinidad neighborhood. Just last month, area residents had to wade through a police checkpoint that, for a brief time, stopped the violence.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say `enough is enough, stop the killing!'

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. The indiscriminate level of violence knows no bounds as I mark the passing of Miss Ebony Jefferson, 31, who was shot to death 48 hours ago.

Ebony's death violates all standards of human decency. She was, literally, on the porch of her aunt's home, in a quiet Cleveland neighborhood, where she and her family were grieving the death of her mother, 55-year-old Lorena Jefferson, who died last Sunday of breast cancer.

In a brief moment of respite, while sharing a laugh and playing cards to fight back the tears, early Tuesday evening a man dressed in black, carrying a gun, threatened Ebony and her family, telling them to lay on the floor. Bravely, some of her family members told the assailant to leave and, briefly, he did. But, in a senseless instant, he turned around and fired nine shots, one of which struck Ebony. She died a short time later at a local hospital.

Ebony was a caring health care worker who was grieving the loss of her mother. She and her mother will now be buried, together, this Saturday while the gunman remains at large.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Forty-five violent stories of tragedy every day are 45 too many.

From coast to coast, the stories affect us all. On Saturday night, in Seattle, Washington, a 17-year-old boy was fatally shot during an argument involving more than 20 young men at a fast-food restaurant.

On Sunday night, in Washington, DC, Frank L. Parker, a 47-year-old man, was found fatally shot in the 300 block of Parkland Place, SE.

On Monday afternoon, in Chicago, Mario Lopez, a 19-year-old man, was fatally shot in a West Side park. These are only three stories of 135 stories that could be told just between Saturday, July 12 and Monday, July 14.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, everyday, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Those victims have families who struggle each and every day to survive the violence and its emotional toll.

I was struck by news accounts, last weekend, of how grieving families in Miami, Florida are standing together to find the strength to live their lives. Arleen White, grieving mother to her slain, 15- year-old son Anthony, stared down her son's teenaged murderer in a local courtroom last week. The juvenile was about to be released for time served, because of his age, for taking her son's life with a gun in the midst of a home invasion. Said White, ``I'm full of tears, but I give God thanks for this day because when this is all over, I ain't got to worry about nobody gunning down my boy in the street because you already did that.''

White's son was killed in 2003 when 47 African Americans were the victims of homicide in Miami. To date, 50 black youth have been killed, in this community, most with the use of firearms.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``Enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Early this morning, Robert Washington of Chicago was found dead in his home with a gunshot wound to the neck.

In Wisconsin, Travis Mills was shot last Saturday morning with a small-caliber handgun and in Rockaway, Queens, a young man was fatally shot. The 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

Three more lives lost. We must become our brother's keeper. Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will Americans say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''

Madam Speaker, the Department of Justice tells us that, every day, 45 people, on average, are fatally shot in the United States. Sometimes, sadly, the victims of this carnage are the men and women who've pledged to serve and protect our society. Today, I reflect on the senseless loss of life of 60-year-old Chicago Police Officer Richard M. Francis. Officer Francis was a 27-year veteran of the force and a first class officer. A heroic Vietnam War Veteran and a member of the Navy Special Forces, Officer Francis survived two bomb attacks in the Mekong Delta and was described by friends, family and co-workers as a man who loved life. But, on July 2nd, Francis could not survive a bullet discharged when a homeless woman grabbed his service revolver and shot him in the head.

Officer Francis leaves behind his wife of 10 years, Deborah, and his mentally challenged stepdaughter, Bianca. While charges are pending against his alleged perpetrator, the cruel irony is that this man who loved his job, loved his family and survived the Vietcong, lost his life in an instant when an allegedly disturbed woman got her hands on his weapon.

On behalf of my constituents and a grieving city, I extend my prayers and sincere condolences to Officer Francis' family and friends.

Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will we say ``enough is enough, stop the killing!''