Expressing Sense of House Regarding Arizona Shooting

Floor Speech

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Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I concur in expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011.

Like all Americans, on Saturday morning I was not only saddened, but I was sick to my stomach while I watched the horrible attack against my colleague, my office mate for 2 years, Congresswoman Giffords--known as ``Gabby'' to me--and her staff, her constituents, and all Americans.

We know now that on January 8 Congresswoman Giffords reached out and sought ``new ways to reduce the highly partisan divisive tone that all too often dominates our public discourse.'' Today, I am going to do exactly that, not in words of criticism, but thoughts of observation and a desire to help.

For lawmakers, whether Federal, State or local, this tragic incident must make us reevaluate our spending priorities and accept the fact that our continued failure to adequately fund mental illness is a mistake. For agencies, whether they be educational, military or private vendors and businesses, we must be diligent in connecting the dots and making use of good technology to have real-time information.

For parents, whether your child, who will always be your child regardless of their age, should not be allowed under our own roofs to turn their rooms, garages or backyards into private areas where we're even afraid to tread. For protectors and preservers of the law, it's not okay to tell me that nothing is wrong with receiving an email that says, ``I'm concerned and looking for a good old-fashioned lynching.'' For those who debate and protest, it's not okay to spit, to say racial slurs, to say reload, or to arm, in reference to debate, and it's also not okay to say a group other than yourself is a Neanderthal and they want people to die quickly.

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Ms. RICHARDSON. For our courts, even in 1919 and 1931 in the cases of Schenk v. United States and Near v. Minnesota, our forefathers had the wisdom to know that the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting ``fire'' in a theater and causing panic.

So who would tell me that it would be appropriate that on August 17, 2009, that it would be appropriate for a man to carry an AR-15 rifle and a pistol only feet from our President.

And now, for those of us who are here today, we turn to the resolution on the floor.

On page 4, sections 7 and 8, the resolution says that we would have the right of people to peaceably assemble and that all would participate without being silenced for fear of intimidation. I'm sad to say that, yes, even in this own Chamber on these grounds, I don't think we've always fulfilled those words of ``peaceable assembly free of intimidation.''

We, too, must not react. But it's time to act, not just in legislation, but to do what Congresswoman Giffords asked us to do--to reduce the divisive tone in this country. Maybe if we start as leaders, others will follow.

I express condolences. I pray for those on their recovery, and I also commit to work on this issue and to work with my colleagues.

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