Designation of El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial

Floor Speech

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Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Madam Speaker, the gun violence epidemic has horribly impacted American communities across the Nation. Texas is no exception, and neither was El Paso.

In 2019 the El Paso community was shaken to its core when a crazed gunman drove more than 11 hours to stop what he called the ``Hispanic invasion of Texas.''

All of us know that his hatred and bigotry was encouraged from the highest levels of our government and played upon stereotypes developed in American media from hard news to Hollywood for generations.

This appalling event led to 23 innocent lives being cut short and dozens injured in the deadliest targeted attack on Latinos in modern American history.

But El Paso did not collapse in the face of tragedy. Instead, they banded together to mourn their loved ones and rebuild their community, and we, as Americans, stood with them. That summer we were all ``El Paso strong.''

By designating the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a federally recognized national memorial site, we will continue to honor the victims and provide solace to survivors who have shown their remarkable strength and resiliency on their path to healing.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support my friend, Representative Escobar's, bill, H.R. 4380, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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