Ted Deutch (FL-22), representing Fort Lauderdale in the U.S. House of Representatives, issued a statement this evening after the House observed a moment of silence for the victims of Friday's tragic shooting at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport:
"Just last week, the House of Representatives observed a moment of silence to honor the 6th anniversary of the Tucson shooting. I never expected that today, so soon after, we’d be observing another such moment, and for a tragedy so close to home.
“We cannot accept a world in which we don’t have time to mourn lives lost in one shooting before another occurs. After the tragedy last summer at Pulse nightclub, after the many stories I’ve heard from constituents affected by gun violence, and now even more than ever after Friday’s shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport, I want no more of these tragedies in my community. I want no more of this unbearable pain in any community. Inaction is no longer an acceptable response.
"Sadly, there is now a routine that Congress follows: shocking news of a deadly shooting, followed by conveyance of thoughts and prayers, followed by a moment of silence on the House floor. These moments of silence are a respectful way to reflect on the lives that were taken so tragically. But to truly honor the victims of this and other gun violence, moments of silence must be followed by productive discussions on what meaningful actions should be taken to address the crisis of gun violence. We must figure out how to get treatment for people with mental illness. We must also keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, and we must prevent potential terrorists from getting their hands on dangerous weapons. If we can’t take these simple, sensible first steps, we will never succeed in preventing shootings like this in the future. Thoughts and prayers will be all we have to give, and that's just not enough."
"Just last week, the House of Representatives observed a moment of silence to honor the 6th anniversary of the Tucson shooting. I never expected that today, so soon after, we’d be observing another such moment, and for a tragedy so close to home.
“We cannot accept a world in which we don’t have time to mourn lives lost in one shooting before another occurs. After the tragedy last summer at Pulse nightclub, after the many stories I’ve heard from constituents affected by gun violence, and now even more than ever after Friday’s shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport, I want no more of these tragedies in my community. I want no more of this unbearable pain in any community. Inaction is no longer an acceptable response.
"Sadly, there is now a routine that Congress follows: shocking news of a deadly shooting, followed by conveyance of thoughts and prayers, followed by a moment of silence on the House floor. These moments of silence are a respectful way to reflect on the lives that were taken so tragically. But to truly honor the victims of this and other gun violence, moments of silence must be followed by productive discussions on what meaningful actions should be taken to address the crisis of gun violence. We must figure out how to get treatment for people with mental illness. We must also keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, and we must prevent potential terrorists from getting their hands on dangerous weapons. If we can’t take these simple, sensible first steps, we will never succeed in preventing shootings like this in the future. Thoughts and prayers will be all we have to give, and that's just not enough."
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