National Pulse Memorial

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 49, offered by my colleague from Florida (Mr. Soto).

Nearly 5 years ago, on June 12, 2016, a senseless and horrific mass shooting was perpetrated by an ISIS-inspired coward at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In the attack, 49 innocent people were killed and 53 were wounded.

This bill, and the number H.R. 49, is a thoughtful tribute to the 49 individuals killed in the attack. In the aftermath of the unspeakable tragedy at Pulse, the owner of the club established a nonprofit called the onePULSE Foundation to memorialize those who died in the mass murder, known as the 49.

The foundation worked quickly to establish an interim memorial in Orlando and has been working to build a permanent Pulse memorial and museum, which will be completed in coming years.

This bill would redesignate the Pulse Memorial in Orlando, Florida, as the ``National Pulse Memorial.'' The bill makes clear that this memorial will not be a unit of the National Park System and that designation as a national memorial does not require any Federal funds to be expended.

The House's action on this bill today complements the United States Senate resolution passed on June 11, 2020, honoring the victims of this tragedy, as well as the State of Florida's designation of June 12 as Pulse Remembrance Day.

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WESTERMAN. In closing, Madam Speaker, again, I urge adoption of H.R. 49, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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