National Pulse Memorial
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3094) to designate the National Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3094
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL.
(a) In General.--The Pulse Memorial located at 1912 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, 32806, is designated as the ``National Pulse Memorial''.
(b) Effect of Designation.--The national memorial designated by this section is not a unit of the National Park System and the designation of the National Pulse Memorial shall not require or permit Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to that national memorial.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, on June 12, 2016, a gunman shot and killed 49 people and injured 53 others in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. It was the single deadliest known violent attack on the LGBTQ community, the deadliest violent attack in America at that time, and an attack on our Latino community, our African-American communities, and so many others.
After this tragedy, our city came together. Doctors, first responders, and friends rushed to save the wounded; others donated funds, supplies, even their blood. Countless works of art, gifts, and letters were left at impromptu memorial sites paying tribute to the victims and survivors.
We came together in candlelight vigils across the globe to grieve and remember. We became truly Orlando Strong in the face of adversity for the whole world to see.
As we continue to honor 49 angels, we remind the world that love will always conquer hate in the end. The designation of the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial honors the lives taken, as well as the survivors, first responders, and an entire central Florida community. Together, we will open minds and hearts and make the Pulse Memorial a national symbol of hope, love, and change.
I thank my Orlando area colleagues, Congresswoman Val Demings and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, for joining me in leading this important bipartisan legislation.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California and our friends across the aisle for their support.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, but it would also elevate that site so that millions of Americans might turn our collective pain into collective action.
In passing this bill, I hope visitors the world over will be inspired by a community that emphatically declared that love and hope will always triumph over prejudice and violence.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Murphy), my neighbor in central Florida.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I have three more speakers.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), the vice chair of our caucus.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I would inquire how much time we have remaining.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the names of the 49 victims we lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old; Amanda L. Alvear, 25 years old; Oscar A. Aracena Montero, 26 years old; Rodolfo Ayala Ayala, 33 years old; Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old; Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old; Angel Candelario-Padro, 28 years old; Juan Chavez Martinez, 25 years old; Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old; Cory James Connell, 21 years old; Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old; Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old; Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old; Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old; Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old; Peter Ommy Gonzalez Cruz, 22 years old; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old; Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old; Frank Hernandez, 27 years old; Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old.
Javier Jorge Reyes, 40 years old; Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old; Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old; Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25 years old; Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old; Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old; Brenda Marquez McCool, 49 years old; Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25 years old; Kimberly Jean Morris, 37 years old; Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old; Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, 20 years old; Geraldo A. Ortiz Jimenez, 25 years old; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old; Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old; Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old; Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old; Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, 27 years old; Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35 years old; Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old; Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old; Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old; Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old; Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old; Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 years old; Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old; Luis Sergio Vielma, 22 years old; Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velazquez, 50 years old; Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old; Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We all agree this was an attack motivated by hate, and today, we recognize the 49 angels we lost and the 53 who were injured during the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Vigils occurred across this Nation, across the political spectrum, after this deadly shooting. I can tell you, on behalf of Congresswoman Demings, Congresswoman Murphy, myself, and our region, we want to thank everyone for doing that.
We want to thank our colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, for coming together: Chair Grijalva, Ranking Member Bishop, Mr. McClintock, Miss Gonzalez-Colon, Mr. Fitzpatrick. We appreciate all the work being done in the Senate.
Today, we recognize the memory of these 49 angels across our Nation by making this the Pulse National Memorial.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source