Wednesday, January 12, 2011

WATCH and READ: Arizona Reps. Jeff Flake and Trent Franks On House Floor About Tucson Tragedy; Text of House Resolution

The House of Representatives is currently "debating" a resolution condemning the attempted assassination of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and subsequent shooting spree in Tucson, and honoring the victims and heroes.  It is a good summary of the situation, and the full text of the resolution is below the jump.

Among the Arizona delegation speaking was Rep. Jeff Flake (R-CD6) and Rep. Trent Franks (R-CD2).  Here are their remarks this morning.



Text of the resolution is below:

RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives withrespect to the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona, onJanuary 8, 2011.

Whereas on January 8, 2011, an armed gunman opened fireat a ‘‘Congress on your Corner’’ event hosted by Rep-resentative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, killing6 and wounding at least 14 others;

Whereas Christina Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, John Roll,Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and Gabriel Zimmer-man lost their lives in this attack;

Whereas Christina Taylor Green, the 9-year-old daughter of John and Roxanna Green, was born on September 11,2001, and was a third grader with an avid interest in government who was recently elected to the student coun-cil at Mesa Verde Elementary School;

Whereas Dorothy Morris, who was 76 years old, attended theJanuary 8 event with George, her husband of over 50years with whom she had 2 daughters, and who was alsocritically injured as he tried to shield her from the shoot-ing;

Whereas John Roll, a Pennsylvania native who was 63 yearsold, began his professional career as a bailiff in 1972,was appointed to the Federal bench in 1991, and becamechief judge for the District of Arizona in 2006, and wasa devoted husband to his wife Maureen, father to his 3sons, and grandfather to his 5 grandchildren;

Whereas Phyllis Schneck, a proud mother of 3, grandmotherof 7, and great-grandmother from New Jersey, wasspending the winter in Arizona, and was a 79-year-oldchurch volunteer and New York Giants fan;

Whereas Dorwan Stoddard, a 76-year-old retired constructionworker and volunteer at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ, is credited with shielding his wife Mavy, a long-time friend whom he married while they were in their60s, who was also injured in the shooting;Whereas Gabriel Matthew Zimmerman, who was 30 years oldand engaged to be married, served as Director of Com-munity Outreach to Representative Gabrielle Giffords,and was a social worker before serving with Representa-tive Giffords;

Whereas Representative Gabrielle Giffords was a target of this attack, and remains in critical condition at an Ari-zona hospital;
Whereas 13 others were also wounded in the shooting, includ-ing Ron Barber and Pamela Simon, both staffers to Rep-resentative Giffords; and

Whereas several of those in attendance at this event, includ-ing Patricia Maisch, Roger Sulzgeber, Joseph Zimudie,and Daniel Hernandez, Jr., helped apprehend the gun-man and assist the injured, thereby risking their lives forthe safety of others, and should be commended for theirbravery:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved,That the House of Representatives—(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attack which occurred at the ‘‘Congress on your Corner’’ event hosted by Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011;
(2) offers its heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed8in that attack;
(3) expresses its hope for the rapid and complete recovery of those wounded in the shooting;
(4) honors the memory of Christina Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, John Roll, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, and Gabriel Zimmerman;
(5) applauds the bravery and quick thinking exhibited by those individuals who prevented the gunman from potentially taking more lives and helped to save those who had been wounded;
(6) recognizes the service of the first responders who raced to the scene and the health care professionals who tended to the victims once they reached the hospital, whose service and skill saved lives;
(7) reaffirms the bedrock principle of American democracy and representative government, which is6memorialized in the First Amendment of the Constitution and which Representative Gabrielle Giffords herself read in the Hall of the House of Representatives on January 6, 2011, of ‘‘the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances’’;
(8) stands firm in its belief in a democracy in which all can participate and in which intimidation and threats of violence cannot silence the voices of any American;
(9) honors the service and leadership of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a distinguished member of this House, as she courageously fights to recover; and
(10) when adjourning today, shall do so out of respect to the victims of this attack.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/46669045/House-Resolution-Honoring-Tucson-Shooting-Victims
 
 
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