Condemning the Horrfic Attacks in Newtown, Connecticut, and Expressing Support and Prayers for All those Impacted by This Tragedy

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank my colleagues from Connecticut for the way in which they've conducted themselves through this horrific tragedy that the whole country has experienced.

Mr. Speaker, I came to sit and listen and to be here to support my colleagues, but I did want to say a few words because I had an opportunity to speak with the press in San Diego over the last few days.

I'm almost haunted by the question that I was asked, which was, Isn't this all just going to go away? People will get on with their lives, and a period of time will commence and maybe something else horrible will happen again.

What is it that we can do? I think it is a collective responsibility. It is certainly all of our responsibility. The President, I believe, has to take the lead, and he has begun to do that. We also have to reach out to our entire communities. I know that there are differences throughout this country. Of course there are. It's not even so much partisan differences. It's geographic in some cases. It's the way that people have chosen to live and their backgrounds and what they do.

But I think that we would be pretty surprised if we had the kinds of meetings throughout this country to allow that conversation to take place because parents throughout my district--and I know throughout the district of all of my colleagues--want to say something about how we can do better. I believe we can. If we can't, then what are we about?

I thank the President for his comments. I thank my colleagues, because I wonder could I have responded as well as they have done through this. And I certainly express my profound sorrow to the families who are enduring the absolute unthinkable. We are all parents and grandparents here, and we do identify, and we want to make a difference.

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