Legislative Program

Floor Speech

(Mr. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, normally, the colloquy between the majority leader and myself on the schedule might be lengthier than it will be today. This week has been a sobering week, a sad week.

I want to congratulate Speaker Ryan on the comments that he made this morning. He said that ``every Republican and every Democrat wants to see less gun violence.'' He then went on to say: ``Sometimes we disagree on how to get there. Sometimes we disagree passionately on how to get there.'' He went on to say: ``But in having this debate, let's not lose sight of the values that unite us. Let's not lose sight in our common humanity.'' He then said: ``We need to take a moment here for reflection, for thought, for prayer, for justice, for action.''

Mr. Speaker, the majority leader and I have had a brief conversation on the floor. He said to me--and I agree--that we need to sit down together and try to see how we can bring this country and this House together on a way forward to, as the gentlewoman from Texas said, decrease the tensions that exist between citizens and law enforcement officers, to ensure the safety not only of those officers but of Alton Sterling, who lost his life, and of Philando Castile, who lost his life--an instance that appeared to be horrifying and unacceptable.

I think all of us in this House and all Americans, Mr. Speaker, like the majority leader has suggested to me--and I have responded--should come together to de-escalate the tensions in our society, the confrontations that we see too often, the rash rhetoric--the hateful rhetoric in some cases--that is being used. I thank the majority leader, Mr. Speaker, for what I believe to be his very sincere and heartfelt thoughts along those lines.

So we will not engage in a colloquy today of differences but in a colloquy that will, with prayerful consideration, try to serve the people of this country and each and every individual in this country towards a safer, more assured life in America.

I yield to my friend.

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for his comments.

My hope, Mr. Speaker, is that all of us will be willing to be a part of that solution, not of the problem.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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