Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and also the gentlewoman for her kind remarks concerning this day of tragedy in Colorado. We have had a couple of those, Columbine, 9 years ago this week, as well as this tragedy that…
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and also the gentlewoman for her kind remarks concerning this day of tragedy in Colorado. We have had a couple of those, Columbine, 9 years ago this week, as well as this tragedy that occurred on December 9.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness and regret that I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the victims and families of the tragic acts of violence that occurred on December 9 at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and on the Faith Bible Chapel campus in Arvada, Colorado, with this resolution.
The senseless acts of violence partially took place in my district at the Youth With A Mission, YWAM, in the heart of Jefferson County in a community still reeling from the tragic events of Columbine several years ago.
The Faith Bible Chapel campus is about a block from where my father- in-law lives. It is a place I drive by almost every weekend when I am home. And it is a place in the late hours of December 8 and the early hours of December 9, a reverse 911 call had to go out to the entire neighborhood to advise them of the killings that had gone on so nearby.
All four young men and women lost their lives before the psychotic young gunman turned the gun on himself. This resolution seeks to honor the memory of these individuals: Tiffany Johnson, who was 26 years old; Philip Crouse, 24; Stephanie Works and Rachel Works who I believe were nieces of a friend of mine, John Works, who was a candidate several years ago for the 7th Congressional District of Colorado, which is the seat that I now hold.
This bill also seeks to recognize the survivors and the families victimized, and in particular, Dan Griebenow, Charlie Blanch, David Works, Judy Purcell, and Larry Bourbannais who were wounded during this senseless day of killing.
It is important to note that this resolution commends the heroism of the local first responders and law enforcement officials in the city of Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado Springs, and El Paso County who responded quickly and professionally.
Especially, Jeanne Assam, a volunteer private security guard, who courageously rushed into harm's way and used her own gun to stop the shooter, thereby saving the lives of several other bystanders.
We will never know what was going through the mind of Matthew Murray, the young man who killed these people and wounded several more. We don't know what possessed his mind to take these senseless acts, but we do know that the people who were killed here in this particular incident and the people who were wounded will always stay in our memory and will be honored by this resolution.
Our Nation can never adequately come to grips with senseless tragedies like these. Whether it is some kind of care for the perpetrator in this instance from his psychosis, or whether it is additional protections that we might give to our churches and our schools, there are many things that we can do, but it is just a shame that sometimes, we can't understand the demons that possess people and cause them to come up with acts of psychotic violence like we have seen here.
It is my hope that this bill sends a message to the victims of these tragic events that they will continue to remain in the thoughts of our Nation, and they will never be forgotten for the events that occurred on December 9. This bill represents one small step in the process of healing for our communities affected by this tragedy.
In closing, I wish to thank each of my colleagues in the Colorado delegation, and especially Representative Doug Lamborn, who represents the city of Colorado Springs. I want to thank each of the 51 co- sponsors who join me today in expressing sympathy
to the victims and families of the heartbreaking acts of violence in Colorado Springs and Arvada, Colorado, with this resolution, H. Res. 886. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H. Res. 886.