Expressing Sense of House Regarding Arizona Shooting

Floor Speech

* Ms. DEGETTE. Madam Speaker, it is under somber circumstances that this body gathers here today. On behalf of the people of Colorado and the constituents I represent in the First District, we send our prayers and compassion to all who are mourning the events of last weekend and trying to come to terms with the grief this incident has caused.

* As two of three women in the U.S. House of Representatives from the Rocky Mountain West, Gabby and I spoke often about the sometimes difficult task of staying close with family and loved ones, while shuttling back and forth across long distances between our homes and Washington. She has always been enormously dedicated to her family, and in the wake of this tragedy we see the love her family and community has shown her in return.

* While Gabby was the victim with whom I shared a personal connection, the tragedy of last weekend runs far deeper than just reflecting on the attack on our colleague. What happened to Gabby and 19 others on that sunny Tucson morning, happened to all of us--to all Americans. The victims came from all walks of life, each one representing their own unique story, yet each one also reflecting in many ways, people we all know and love. From the young girl with dreams of changing the world; to the dedicated staffer committed to serving his country and helping the people of hometown; to the man willing to give his own life to save the life of the woman he loves; to the federal judge devoted to the cause of justice and law; to the retired woman escaping cold, snowy winters for warmer climes; to the wife of a former Marine quietly living out her Golden Years with her husband--all these brave souls unite us all in the common dreams and blessed experiences we hold as Americans.

* Last Saturday, that unity was assaulted as a single, deranged gunman attempted to cut through the very bedrock of our democracy, by attacking an event at which a Member of Congress was performing her most fundamental responsibility--meeting with her constituents. The attack felt particularly heinous against a Member of this institution in which each of us have been asked by voters to serve largely because of its proximity to the people.

* And while these events have understandably renewed discussions about congressional security, we must ensure that these efforts do not leave us insulated from our constituents. We each have an obligation to protect ourselves, our constituents, and our staff. But our professional obligation mandates that we remain accessible and inviting, because it is through us that the every American from Tucson, Arizona, to Portland, Maine, has a voice in the corridors of Washington, D.C.

* Finally, it is important to remember that these were the actions of one individual clearly in need of mental health assistance. While it is too early to know what motivated him to violence, no one can deny that the level of political discourse in this country is not meeting the standard to which we should hold ourselves, nor meeting the standard our country's founders envisioned for our great nation. Far too often we have failed to find a way to, as Speaker BOEHNER put it last week, ``disagree without being disagreeable.''

* It is my hope that the events of the past weekend serve as a wake-up call for everyone and remind us all that we need to reject extremism and violence, respect those who answer the call to public service, and strengthen our country with our every deed--just as those in Tucson have done since that fateful day.

* Gabby is a friend and treasured colleague, and my deepest condolences extend to her family, as well as the friends and family of the constituents and staff members wounded or killed in the unspeakable attacks of January 8, 2011. God bless them; God Bless this Body, and God Bless the United States of America.

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