National Pulse Memorial

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Soto) for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 49 to designate the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial site and to honor those whose lives were taken by a gunman with hate in his heart.

I thank the gentleman for his leadership and his response with H.R. 49 along with Congresswoman Murphy. I visited with Mr. Soto in Florida near Orlando and actually toured the Pulse nightclub site, and what a poignant visitation that was.

Almost 5 years ago, the Nation awoke to the heartbreaking news of a mass shooting that unfolded at a nightclub in Orlando. Forty-nine lives were taken, and 53 others were injured. It was another devastating loss to the LGBTQ-plus community and our Nation.

The gunman had targeted Pulse nightclub, a nightclub frequented by Orlando's Latino and LGBTQ-plus communities. This was a safe place for many of the people who were there that night. The shooter violated a safe space where LGBTQ people, and, in this case, LGBTQ-plus people of color were able to be themselves and to live and dance freely without fear or judgment.

Our community--that is, the LGBTQ-plus community--is still healing from this attack, and families and friends are still mourning the loss of their loved ones. I will never forget waking up in my Washington, D.C. apartment as I was scrolling through the news, and I was just in disbelief that another shooting had occurred. Since then, we have had so many other senseless shootings.

By designating the Pulse nightclub as a national memorial site, we can always remember the vibrant lives of those we lost. This memorial will serve as a reminder that we cannot stop fighting for equality.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 49.

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