Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider Announce Resolution Marking Two Years Since July 4th Shooting In Highland Park

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) announced the introduction of a resolution expressing the condolences of Congress and honoring the memory of the victims of the shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on July 4, 2022.  The House version of the resolution was introduced last week and the Senate version will be officially introduced when the Senate is back in session on July 8^th.

Specifically, the Senators’ resolution:

1. Expresses sincere condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of Katie Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Strauss, Jacquelyn Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo, the victims of the devastating shooting along the parade route on July 4, 2022, in Highland Park, Illinois;
2. Honors the lives and memory of the victims, with gratitude for their selfless dedication to others;
3. Continues to extend support to the individuals who were injured and subjected to the trauma of the shooting;
4. Expresses gratitude to the law enforcement officers, medical personnel, and emergency responders who responded to the shooting with professionalism, dedication, and bravery; and,
5. Stands in solidarity with the victims of senseless gun violence in communities across the United States.

“What happened two years ago as families in Highland Park gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July is an atrocity.  That gunman, who shot off more than 80 rounds in 60 seconds, destroyed families, paralyzed children, and scarred a community for a lifetime,” Durbin said.  “My heart still aches for Highland Park, and we must seek pathways to prevent the next heartbreaking shooting.  I thank my colleagues, Senator Duckworth and Congressman Schneider, for joining me in introducing this important resolution to honor the memory of the victims.  We must come together now to end this uniquely American tragedy of gun violence.”

 “When families gathered in Highland Park to observe the Fourth of July two years ago, they were there to celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Duckworth said. “They woke up that morning eager to take pride in our nation and celebrate America at its best. Instead, they experienced the worst of it. Two years later, I’m still thinking of the families who lost loved ones and a community that is forever impacted by this tragedy. For the sake of the seven people we lost, and all gun violence survivors who’ve experienced the unimaginable, I’m pleased to introduce this resolution in their honor and will never stop working for commonsense gun safety legislation that saves lives and could help make massacres like these relics of a heartbreaking past.”

“Though two years have passed since the Highland Park tragedy, the pain of that day remains as raw as if it were yesterday,” said Schneider. “We hold Katherine Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacki Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo Zaragoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo and all the survivors of that awful day in our hearts. This incomprehensible act of evil devastated families, wounded more than 40 people, and forever changed our community. This resolution ensures that we never forget the seven victims who were murdered that day and that we will continue to honor their lives and memories. Nor will we forget the survivors who continue to struggle with the impacts of their wounds, visible or not. We must do more to reduce the tragic and unnecessary prevalence of gun violence in the United States.  I look forward to continuing to fight for common sense reform, and I am grateful that Senators Durbin and Duckworth are leading the companion resolution in the Senate.” 

Full text of the Senate resolution is available here. And full text of the House resolution is available here.

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