Gun Violence

Floor Speech

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the mothers, fathers, brothers, and daughters, the classmates and coworkers, the surviving family and community members, all of whom have been robbed of loved ones due to senseless acts of gun violence.

I rise on behalf of mothers with broken spirits and broken hearts.

I rise on behalf of fathers with deep wounds and invisible scars, a lifetime of guilt because they couldn't keep their child out of harm's way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of young boys and girls, children traumatized and sad because they have attended more funerals than graduation parties.

I rise on behalf of survivors, community organizations, and advocates who selflessly trigger their own trauma to stand on the front lines of justice and movement building.

I rise on behalf of districts like mine, the Massachusetts Seventh, that are weighed down by systemic inequities, generational poverty, and cycles of violence.

Today, in partnership with organizers, advocates, and survivors, I am calling for a National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month to amplify the voices of families and communities severely and disproportionately impacted by gun violence; to center their struggles, their stories, their truths; to foster peace; and to seek justice.

Already this year, 16 families across the Massachusetts Seventh have been robbed of their loved ones. I rise in remembrance of them and in recognition of those they left behind:

Emmanuel Molin, 32, survived by his two sons, mother, father, and five siblings;

Godfrey Jenkins Hall, 28, survived by his son, brother, and aunt;

Carl Reynolds, 28, survived by his mother, father, siblings, and daughter;

Gary Brown, 34, survived by his son and sister;

Jeudy Romero, 29, survived by five children, fiance, father, and siblings;

Juan Morales, 32, survived by his three children;

Kasim Kahrim, 36, survived by his sisters, aunts, and uncles;

Kendric Price, 32, survived by his mother, grandmother, brothers, and godchildren;

Haki Sanders, 33, survived by his mother;

Eleanor Maloney, 74, survived by three daughters, a son, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and four siblings;

Michael Dukes, 53, survived by his mother, father, five children, one grandson, sister, and dear friends;

Kevin Boyd, 53, survived by his wife, two sons, grandchildren, and brother;

Kevin Brewington, 33, survived by his mother, father, son, brothers, and sisters;

Donell Davis, 24, survived by his mother, brothers, and sister;

Carl Brown, 43, survived by his child; and

Luckinson Oruma, 60, survived by his wife and five children.

Tomorrow will mark the anniversary of 49 souls lost, lives we were robbed of 3 years ago at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, and the fear and trauma of those who survived and the families and loved ones that they left behind.

May we remember them. May we speak up for them. May we fight to ensure that there is no one else like them.

Long gone are the days of thoughts and prayers. Now is the time for outrage, equitable outrage, policy, and change. This is a public health crisis, an epidemic.

Bullets do not discriminate. They don't care if we are a Member of Congress, a World Series champion, a senior citizen, or a child.

It is up to Congress to demonstrate courage, to do what is right for our children, for our communities, for all survivors impacted by gun violence.

Enough is enough. These survivors deserve our respect. They deserve our resources. They deserve healing. They deserve justice.

In districts like the Massachusetts Seventh, community-based organizations are doing their job every day: Violence in Boston, Operation LIPSTICK, We Are Better Together, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, the Justice Resource Institute, the Women Survivors of Homicide Movement, and the Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy project.

Our Suffolk County D.A., Rachael Rollins, is fighting every day to improve our clearance rates to get these surviving family members the justice they deserve.

It is time for Congress to do our job. Enough is enough.

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