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Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) led the House of Representatives in a moment of silence to honor of the victims of the August 3, 2019 El Paso domestic terrorist attack. Click here to watch a video of her remarks and read below her remarks as prepared:

On Saturday, August 3, at a local El Paso Walmart, parents were shopping for school supplies, elderly couples were paying for their groceries, and kids and parents were fundraising for their soccer team.

That day, everything changed for us in El Paso.

A killer drove over 600 miles to my community.  He massacred 22 people and injured another 26 and confessed to driving over 10 hours in order to target Mexicans and immigrants.

It was a horrific act of domestic terrorism, fueled by America’s gun violence epidemic and the hate epidemic.

The killer’s screed was filled with bigoted anti-immigrant language that has been used by people in power and those with the most powerful bully pulpits.

El Paso, as usual, rose to the challenge before us.  We grieved together, went to hospital bedsides together, prayed together, buried loved ones together.

My community has a long journey ahead, and I think the first responders, healthcare providers, spiritual leaders, and community members who have shown tremendous courage during our darkest moment.  I thank my colleagues, and people from all over the country who reached out to us, visited us, and comforted us.

El Paso will continue to set the example for the nation, and we will continue to treat all people in our midst with kindness, love, generosity and grace.

We will always be El Paso Strong, and our resilience will guide the way.

I ask for your continued support, but more importantly, I ask that this awful event be the turning point that our country so desperately needs, and that Americans so desperately want. We must end these hate and gun violence epidemics – because everyone, everyone deserves to live with the safety and security our country once knew.

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