Press Releases
Congresswoman Escobar’s Legislation to Designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a National Memorial Passes Committee on Natural Resources
Washington, DC,
January 19, 2022
The House Natural Resources Committee advanced legislationto designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a federally recognized National Memorial Site. Introduced in July 2021, H.R. 4380 honors the victims and survivors of the August 3, 2019, domestic terrorist attack in El Paso, as well as the first responders and the entire community.
The House Natural Resources Committee advanced legislationto designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a federally recognized National Memorial Site. Introduced in July 2021, H.R. 4380 honors the victims and survivors of the August 3, 2019, domestic terrorist attack in El Paso, as well as the first responders and the entire community. “Designating the El Paso Community Healing Garden as a National Memorial Site will be critical in our nation’s efforts to honor the memory of those El Pasoans who perished and pay tribute to those who survived the deadliest targeted attack against Latinos in modern American history,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “I am thankful to Chairman Raúl Grijalva for advancing my legislation today, and I look forward to soon bringing it to the House floor to fulfill my promise to ensure America never forgets the resiliency of El Paso in the face of gun violence and hatred.” This legislation grants a federal designation to the El Paso Community Healing Garden. A non-National Park Service affiliated federal recognition as a National Memorial site would allow for public or private grants. On August 3rd, 2019, El Paso was the target of a horrific act of domestic terrorism that took 23 lives and injured 22. Following the attack, the County of El Paso approved the construction of the El Paso Community Healing Garden to provide El Pasoans a safe and meditative space to heal and remember the victims and survivors. The legislation is endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and co-sponsored by Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-51), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Darren Soto (FL-09), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Nanette Diaz Barragan (CA-44), Al Green (TX-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), Lou Correa (CA-46), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (MP-At Large), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Filemon Vela (TX-34), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Adam Smith (WA-09), Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Mike Levin (CA-49), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), David J. Trone (MD-06), Bobby L. Rush (IL-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), and Jim Costa (CA-16). The legislation is also supported by prominent gun violence prevention organizations, including the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, and March for Our Lives. To view the bill text, click here.
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