House Resolution 719 Honors Charlie Kirk Following Tragic Assassination on September 10th

[00:00] For what purpose does a gentleman from Arizona seek recognition? Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 722, I call up the resolution

[00:07] HRES 719, honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.

[00:13] The clerk will report the title of the resolution. House resolution 719, resolution honoring the life and legacy

[00:20] of Charles Charlie James Kirk. Pursuant to House Resolution 722, the

[00:26] resolution is considered read. The resolutions be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the

[00:32] committee on oversight and government reform on the or their respective design. The gentleman from Arizona, Mr.

[00:37] Bigs, and the gentleman from California, Mr. Garcia, each will control 30 minutes. Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Bigs.

[00:43] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous

[00:50] material on the measure under consideration. Without objection, Mr. Chair, I yield myself s such time as

[00:56] I may consume. Gentleman's recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I uh I rise in

[01:01] strong support of HRES 719, a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie

[01:06] Kirk. Just last week on September 10th, we tragically lost a tremendous leader and friend, a cowardly, deranged, and

[01:13] unstable assassin who was radicalized by left-wing ideology, murdered a conservative icon over political

[01:19] disagreements. Charlie Kirk was an inspiration to an entire generation and will be remembered as someone who

[01:25] changed the very course of our country. But his most important role was as a loving husband, father, and devout

[01:32] Christian who shared his faith unapologetically. My thoughts and prayers are with Erica and Charlie's two young children. We

[01:39] know and appreciate that Charlie Kirk was a man committed to his faith, his family, and this nation. He dedicated

[01:46] his life to protecting and defending the God-given rights enshrined in our founding documents. He worked tirelessly

[01:54] to demonstrate how to engage in peaceful and meaningful political dialogue.

[01:59] The life of our republic depends on resolving political differences through spirited debate, the ballot box, and

[02:05] embracing the rule of law. Political violence has no place in this country.

[02:12] Violent rhetoric such as describing political opponents as fascist or Nazis is unacceptable. Charlie's assassination

[02:18] was a deliberate targeted attack. It was meant to silence a conservative voice.

[02:24] This assassination was meant to instill fear and chill debate. But we have

[02:30] responded and will continue to respond with courage. We'll double down on the work Charlie dedicated his life to and

[02:37] with the resolution today. We firmly condemn the attack that cut his life short. I thank Speaker Johnson for

[02:43] leading this effort to honor Charlie Kirk and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation

[02:48] and I reserve. Gentleman reserves. Mr. Garcia is recognized.

[02:55] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as may consume. Gentleman's recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I rise today

[03:01] to speak on the principles that bind us together as a nation. First and foremost, we must acknowledge the human

[03:08] cost of this horrific tragedy. A wife has lost her husband. Children have lost

[03:13] their father. A family has been shattered by senseless violence. And whatever our personal political views,

[03:20] there should be no hesitation in extending deep sympathy to Charlie Kirk's loved ones, family, and friends.

[03:28] We also stand here today to reaffirm a principle that runs deeper than politics. Political violence has no

[03:35] place in the United States of America. Our democracy rests on a fragile but

[03:40] enduring promise that disagreements are to be aired through speech, through debate, and through the ballot box, not

[03:47] through intimidation, not through violence, and not through bloodshed. That promise is enshrined in

[03:53] the Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. Precisely because the framers

[04:00] understood, as we all know, that a democracy cannot function without the ability to argue, to disagree, and

[04:07] sometimes offend each other without fear of retribution. And that principle, of

[04:12] course, cuts both ways. We cannot claim to defend free speech if we only protect words we find comfortable or agreeable

[04:18] or polite. The test of our commitment to the First Amendment is not whether we defend the speech we like. It's whether

[04:26] we defend the speech we dislike. Our Constitution demands that we find a way to live together in freedom. Even when

[04:33] our visions for the country might differ. Democracy requires that we resolve our differences not by force but

[04:40] by persuasion, not by threats, but by votes. Not by silencing votes, but by

[04:47] answering them. So today we all join together to mourn the Kirk family. Let's

[04:53] commit recommmit ourselves to the freedoms guaranteed in our constitution. And thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the balance of my time.

[05:00] Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from Arizona, my

[05:05] colleague, Mr. Gosar. Gentleman's recognized. I thank the gentleman from Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of

[05:13] HRES 719, honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk. Charlie

[05:19] Kirk was a patriot, a Christian, a tireless activist who traveled America, engaging young people in civil

[05:25] discourse. Charlie was doing what he loved, building a platform to share his faith

[05:31] in Jesus Christ and welcoming peaceful political dialogue and public debate

[05:36] before his life was cut short by a radicalized monster. Charlie considered Arizona his home, but he poured out his

[05:44] heart and soul into America, a country he so loved. He was a force of nature. He changed the course and direction of

[05:50] this country. Charlie was also my friend. Words cannot describe the

[05:55] philosophy that we feel. His voice, conviction, and friendship will be dearly missed.

[06:03] America will never be the same. We owe Charlie this honor. As he had asked that this resolution

[06:09] helped to ensure, and this resolution helps to ensure, Charlie will for be forever remembered by his courage and

[06:16] faith in Jesus Christ. Godspeed, my friend. I yield back. Gentlemen, reserves.

[06:24] Gentleman from California reserves. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the

[06:29] gentle lady from North Carolina. Gentle lady from North Carolina is recognized for one minute.

[06:37] Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker Charlie Kirk stood for the

[06:45] open exchange of our ideas, our God-given freedoms, and spirited debate

[06:52] that challenged people to view the issues of the day in a different light.

[06:58] He reminded us to remain rooted in our faith and to seek God's wisdom every

[07:05] day. Civil society lost one of its most vocal

[07:11] defenders. There's no question about it. But let me say this. Charlie Kirk's work

[07:18] and impact are far from over. Every day, men and women are rallying to

[07:26] carry on the mantle that he once carried. Mr. Speaker, that is a powerful

[07:34] testament to his impact upon the world. I pray that God gives his wife Erica,

[07:43] his children, and his family continued comfort. I support the resolution before

[07:50] us today and urge my colleagues to do the same. And I yield back.

[07:58] Gentleman from Arizona reserves. Gentleman from California. reserves. Mr. Chairman, I yield one Mr. Speaker, I

[08:04] yield one minute to the gentle lady from Wyoming, Miss Haggman. Gentle lady from Wyoming is recognized for one minute.

[08:10] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of HRES 719,

[08:16] honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. I had the honor of working with Charlie over the last several years, and

[08:23] he gave voice to so many young people. He was outspoken about his faith and conservative values and dedicated his

[08:30] life to engaging people in respectful and intelligent debate. He left a mark on this great country and will be

[08:36] forever missed. What happened on September 12th, 2025 was a violent 10th

[08:42] was a violent political assassination that was an attack on the very freedoms that Charlie lived and fought to

[08:48] protect. Today we must honor Charlie by recommitting ourselves to what he stood for. respectful, open dialogue, faith,

[08:56] family, truth, and freedom. Let Charlie's death not deepen our divisions, but be the spark that unites

[09:02] us. May we reject political violence wherever it comes from, and restore civility. Mr. Chairman, I urge my

[09:09] colleagues to support this resolution to honor Charlie's life, to affirm the right to freely engage in public speech,

[09:16] and to resolve that America will stand undeterred by violence. Thank you, and I yield back.

[09:23] Gentleman from Arizona reserves. Gentleman from California reserves. Reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is

[09:28] recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll yield to myself such time as I may consume.

[09:35] So, uh, uh, you know, what did Charlie do that was so unique? Charlie invited

[09:41] people to come up to meet and debate him openly and without hostility or

[09:48] ridicule. He invited He would go to a college campus. They do a pop-up tent. He'd sit there and uh there'd be

[09:55] invariably a large crowd and he would say, "If you disagree with me, we want

[10:00] you to come up first and come to the front of the line." And then he would have that debate and uh um and

[10:07] invariably he'd win. Why would he win? Because Charlie was a smart guy. Charlie was prepared. Charlie Charlie knew the

[10:15] answers. The most uh other incredible thing if you ever wanted to see a good set of debates when Charlie was in

[10:23] Oxford University debating that was absolutely phenomenal and I encourage

[10:28] all to watch that I'll reserve Mr. Chairman Mr. Speaker

[10:35] gentleman reserves gentleman from California reserve gentleman from California reserve

[10:40] gentleman from Arizona is recognized thank you m Mr. Mr. Speaker, I I yield such time as he may consume to the

[10:46] honorable speaker of the house, my friend from Louisiana. Does the gentleman yield one minute? I'm sorry, one minute. Yes, of course.

[10:52] Mike Johnson. Gentleman from Louisiana is recognized for one minute. I thank my my dear friend from Arizona.

[10:58] It's been a a tough time in Arizona and u my colleague Andy Biggs has uh done a

[11:03] great job in leading uh people who are shaken and I will say that people all over this country are shaken. Um Mr.

[11:10] Speaker, this has been a um this has been a tough week in the country. I think I've spoken at three or four

[11:16] vigils already. I'll be attending our late friend Charlie Kirk's funeral on Sunday as many of us will to pay our

[11:23] what will be our last respects, but the honor of his memory will go on. Um the

[11:29] last week has been difficult because people are shaken by this in a way that we've not seen the country moved in in

[11:36] quite some time. I I've I've described it as if a shadow has been cast ac

[11:42] across the country uh by the untimely death of our uh of our dear friend and

[11:47] the way it was done in such a such a hateful uh heinous manner online for

[11:53] people to view it's it's been disturbing. My heart's gone out in particular to all the students around

[11:58] this country who are so closely associated with Charlie Kirk's organization Turning Point. There were

[12:05] 3,500 plus chapters of Turning Point at universities, college campuses, high school campuses across America. And so

[12:12] many of those students felt personally connected to Charlotte because his voice

[12:17] uh resonated with them and it helped inform their worldview and the way they see politics and society. And when he

[12:24] was lost in such an abrupt and tragic manner, they felt it to their core. And

[12:30] I've been so burdened and disturbed for that. I've been praying for all those kids. untold number of young people around the country who are so disturbed

[12:36] and frankly need trauma counseling themselves from what they've just seen and witnessed. So, but in the midst of

[12:43] all this, the thing that encourages me is that I believe in the same promises of scripture that Charlie did, and I've

[12:50] been reminded a lot of the passage of scripture that says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot

[12:57] overcome it." Some some translations of the Bible say the darkness cannot

[13:02] comprehend it. And I think that's true. And what what I've said to all these students and what I've shared in these

[13:07] vigils is is the same refrain. to summarize the best way to honor the

[13:12] legacy of this singular voice in our culture, not just in the conservative movement, but but in the recent history

[13:19] of America in the last several decades. The best way to honor the the the work and and the legacy and and the ministry

[13:27] of Charlie Kirk is to do what he did and that is to advance the principles that

[13:32] he advanced and to adopt his approach. What I mean by that is the principles that Charlie advanced were the good

[13:38] things. Scripture talks about we focus on the the noble and praiseworthy, the

[13:44] good. And Charlie did that. He focused on things like faith and family and

[13:49] freedom and virtue and honor and patriotism. Charlie believed in America.

[13:56] He believed in the promise of America, in the creed of America, that we're we're we're all made in the image of

[14:03] God, the self-evident truth that God is the one that gives us our rights and not the government. And that those

[14:09] principles are worth fighting for. Charlie used to quote Ronald Reagan, as I do all the time. Reagan reminded us,

[14:14] "Freedom is not inherited in the bloodstream. It has to be fought for and protected and and taught and passed

[14:20] along to the generations that come behind us so that they will know the same liberty and opportunity and security that too many of us have taken

[14:28] for granted too often. And Charlie believed that. So he advanced those principles every single day in every

[14:34] venue that he was able. But he did it in a manner that we should emulate. Because

[14:40] when I tell the young people that they should adopt uh the practices and the manner, adopt the approach of Charlie

[14:47] Kirk, what I mean by that is that he was never motivated by hatred for someone on the other side of that debate. Charlie

[14:54] to the contrary was motivated by love because he believed in what scripture says. There are these three things that

[15:01] remain, faith, hope, and love. And love is the greatest of all. Love overcomes. Love conquers. And that's what motivated

[15:07] our friend. And so even though he could defeat anybody in a debate so often, and

[15:13] I saw this myself when he would vanquish someone in a policy argument, he was the first person after that to reach out a

[15:20] hand of friendship or offer an arm around the shoulder of someone who who

[15:25] he had just uh defeated in a in a contest. Why? Because it wasn't about

[15:30] winning the policy. It wasn't about at the end of the day really the policy arguments. It was about the people and

[15:36] Charlie loved vigorous debate but he loved people more. That is the legacy of our friend. A lot of things have been

[15:43] said about him and you know when someone is on the air when when they're when when they're a ubiquitous voice in all

[15:50] forms of media all the time 24 hours a day you can go cherrypick one line or phrase or something that they said in a

[15:57] long context or a long discussion and you can pick anything out and make someone portray them to be something

[16:02] that they were not. But the people who were doing that did not know Charlie Kirk. And all of us who did will attest.

[16:09] Every single person who spent any time with Charlie Kirk will tell you that he was a good and godly man. Not a perfect

[16:16] man. None of us are. There was only one ever perfect man. And he was God and man. But but Charlie Kirk was a good man

[16:24] who loved his fellow man and gave his life literally in the pursuit of

[16:30] advancing truth. And so the very least that we can do is honor him. And and

[16:36] especially at a time in the country when people are anxious and frightened in moments like this when when uh political

[16:43] instability and fear are pervasive, it's incumbent upon leaders to step forward and stand in the breach and do what is

[16:48] right. And so by voting for this resolution today, we're making a strong statement on behalf of the Congress.

[16:54] We're telling our constituents for one thing that political violence, but also the glorification and celebration of

[17:00] that violence are profoundly wrong. And that goes against everything we stand for as Americans.

[17:07] Charlie stood for exactly the opposite. He stood for what was good in America, what is virtuous, what is worthy of

[17:13] protection and preservation. And we honor his memory by doing this simple act of passing this resolution. I can't

[17:20] imagine that anyone would vote against it or vote present or pretend as though

[17:26] this is not exactly the right thing to do. So, I certainly hope that we can pass this resolution unanimously today

[17:33] just as it should be passed. And I I thank again my my dear friend and colleague uh Congressman Andy Biggs of

[17:39] Arizona. Our hearts go out to the people of Arizona as they do to all everyone who is mourning this death. But I will

[17:45] tell you this, the truth that Charlie advanced will go forward

[17:50] more loudly and more profoundly than it ever has before. And that's the encouragement we have. With that, I

[17:57] yield back. Reserve. Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from California. Reserve.

[18:02] Gentleman from California reserve. Gentleman from Arizona is recognized. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the

[18:08] gentleman from Louisiana. Uh the majority leader, my friend, Mr. Steve.

[18:13] Gentleman from Louisiana is recognized for one minute. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my

[18:19] friend from Arizona for yielding. Uh, Mr. Speaker, we still have heavy hearts.

[18:24] We're still mourning the loss of our friend Charlie Kirk, uh, who was such a

[18:32] inspirational leader to millions across this country. And as we've seen since

[18:37] his horrific assassination, he inspired not only people here in

[18:43] America, but all around the world. Uh, as you see the outpouring of love. And

[18:49] Charlie was a man who had so much love for other people. He had love for our

[18:55] country. Charlie talked about why it was so important that we debate our

[19:01] differences. Something that shouldn't be a novel issue, Mr. speaker are something that is part of the foundation of what

[19:08] makes this country great and unique what separates America from so many other

[19:15] failed examples of government because we are that experiment in self-governance in democracy and part of that ability to

[19:23] self-govern is that we're going to have disagreements and that we have the ability to express those disagreements

[19:30] with each other but in a civil way in a way where it doesn't lead to political

[19:35] violence. And in times like this, we reflect on a lot of things. But more

[19:42] than anything, Mr. Speaker, we lean on our faith. And Charlie Kirk had tremendous faith.

[19:49] You know, when I look above the speaker's rostroom, it says right there here in the people's house, in God we

[19:55] trust. And it's times like this where we really do need to trust in God because

[20:03] God knows the answers. Charlie believes strongly in God and that faith in God is

[20:09] what will get us through tough times like this. In fact, Charlie talked a

[20:15] number of times about how he would want to be remembered. And he talked about how he would want to be remembered for

[20:21] his courage in his faith. and what a example he was for faith for

[20:28] so many young people. You look at college campuses all across this country right now and you see mourning,

[20:36] but you see more young people driven to get involved in this process. Uh Turning

[20:42] Point has had requests from over 50,000 people since Charlie Kirk's

[20:48] assassination to start new chapters on college or high school campuses.

[20:53] This movement that Charlie started is just getting started.

[20:58] It will only grow. And his incredibly strong widow, Erica, who was just named

[21:05] the head of Turning Point to continue that legacy, has vowed to make sure that

[21:11] what Charlie stood for, what he represented, the movement that Charlie Kirk built will endure. It will grow and

[21:20] it will continue to inspire inspire millions more people to want to get

[21:27] involved in government, want to question leadership, want to maybe question their

[21:33] own views, the things they might have been taught by people in schools that

[21:38] had ulterior motives that might have been trying to indoctrinate them into some other viewpoint so that now they

[21:45] had the power and the courage to think for themselves. elves. How powerful is

[21:50] that? Those are the things that Charlie left behind that will endure, Mr. Speaker.

[21:58] And so this resolution is so important to remember that legacy. Remember that

[22:03] this was a young man, still a young man, but even younger at 18,

[22:09] a young student with an idea that said what's happening in the schools is

[22:16] wrong. what needs to be taught is something broader. We need to get back

[22:21] to a respect for each other's differences of opinion. And that's what drove him to start a movement at such a

[22:28] young age. Let all young people be inspired by that recognition

[22:34] that the power of ideas still can move a nation.

[22:40] That's what Charlie Kirk reminded all of us. And Mr. Mr. Speaker, we're never

[22:45] never going to forget that. We're never going to forget the legacy of Charlie Kirk, but that legacy will live on and

[22:51] only grow stronger. God bless you, Charlie Kirk. Yield back.

[22:58] Reserve. Gentleman from Arizona yield uh reserves. Gentleman from California reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is

[23:04] recognized. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Cloud. Gentleman from Texas recognized for one

[23:10] minute. Thank you. As I heard the news, the horrific news

[23:15] of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I was on my way to speak to a group of pastors who had come here to tour the

[23:22] Capitol and take in our beloved national capital. And I couldn't help in

[23:29] that moment to be reminded of Hebrews 11, which people of faith understand to be the hall of fame of faith. And it

[23:34] goes through the chapter and explains all the great feats of faith, people like Abraham, Moses, Samson, and David.

[23:41] And it talks about how they through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised.

[23:47] But then it goes on and it continues and it said there were others who were tortured refusing to be released so they

[23:53] may gain an even better resurrection. Some faced years and floggings, even

[23:58] chains and imprisonment. And it goes on to say, "The world was not worthy of them." The world was not worthy of

[24:06] Charlie Kirk. He spoke truths that we understand that we can build a life upon. But he also

[24:12] understood that they were truths that we could build a nation upon. And he more than any conveyed those things with

[24:18] clarity and especially to a generation who had been taught moral relevantism and been taught that truth could not be

[24:24] found. He spoke very clearly and with compassion and human dignity. Above all,

[24:30] beyond the courage, beyond his faith and beyond his policy, he had the courage.

[24:36] courage to make a difference, courage to stand, and I hope that we continue with

[24:41] that same courage as we continue to serve the people of this great nation. Let's remember his family as well. God

[24:47] bless. Gentleman from Arizona reserves. Gentleman from California reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is recognized.

[24:53] Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Harris. Gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for one minute. Thank you for

[25:00] yielding. Mr. Speaker, America has hit a moral crossroad. One side celebrates the

[25:07] wicked murder of a faithful patriot while the other side recognizes the sanctity of life and the beauty of

[25:14] thinking and speaking freely. We are headed towards a precipice with no return. If we can't even agree that

[25:21] murder is wrong, we've moved beyond politics. We're debating whether society itself should survive. The shooter last

[25:29] week wanted to silence Charlie. Not just silence him, but everything he represents. faith, family, and freedom.

[25:38] Folks are beginning to speak up and take a stand against evil for good. There are

[25:43] real threats to all that makes America great. In the face of evil ideologies

[25:49] that choose violence, villainization, and hate, we must choose a different

[25:55] path. The one Charlie chose, that of civil discourse and love of our neighbors. Mr. Speaker Charlie Kirk

[26:02] understood that freedom is only one generation away from extinction. And so he ignited a love of country and God in

[26:09] a younger generation, inspiring us all as he did so. May today's vote be a

[26:14] small symbol of an awakening taking place across our nation. I yield back.

[26:20] Reserve. Gentleman from Arizona reserves. Gentleman from California reserves. Gentle from Arizona is recognized. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentle lady from

[26:26] Colorado, Miss Boowbert. One minute. Gentle lady from Cal Colorado is recognized for one minute.

[26:33] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh thank you so much to the gentleman from Arizona for

[26:38] honoring our friend Charlie Kirk. This has truly been a troubling week. Um,

[26:44] this has been a a very tough time for all of us, especially for Erica, Kirk,

[26:51] Charlie's children, the family at Turning Point, and the the legacy that

[26:57] Charlie has left behind is truly remarkable. Charlie is leaving a legacy

[27:04] that we will all continue to carry on and move forward with

[27:11] of faith, of freedom, of love, of our

[27:16] constitutional values to have civil conversations, dis disagreements.

[27:24] And it it's interesting that my friend died doing what he loved most,

[27:31] hearing people, loving people, giving them the opportunity to speak their thoughts.

[27:40] He literally gave people his platform. We're honoring the life and legacy of

[27:48] Charlie Kirk, a courageous American patriot whose unwavering faith and love

[27:54] for Jesus inspired millions. You hold an additional 30 seconds.

[28:00] Recognized for an additional minute. Charlie's deep love for Jesus guided his actions, evident in his daily scripture

[28:07] study and fearless proclamation of the gospel. His assassination was a tragic

[28:13] loss, but his legacy endures, calling us to speak truth with courage and stand

[28:19] firm in faith. Charlie, we love you. Erica, we stand with you. We

[28:24] congratulate you on your new position. And may many, many more come to know the love of God and Jesus as their Lord

[28:32] through this heinous act. I yield. Yeah. I reserve. Gentleman from Arizona

[28:38] reserves. Gentleman from California reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is recognized. May I inquire how much time we have left?

[28:45] A half minutes. 18 and a half minutes. That's beautiful. Yeah. With that, Mr. Mr. Speaker, I

[28:51] yield two minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Fuger. Gentleman from Texas is recognized for two minutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong

[28:58] support of the resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. Charlie

[29:03] was a man of God. He was a loving husband and a father and an unrelenting advocate for the Constitution, for

[29:10] American free speech, and for his belief, Christian belief. I had the

[29:15] honor of knowing Charlie, but also serving with Charlie on the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors. You know, as

[29:22] we started our meeting, we we talked about the love of country. We talked about patriotism, and he asked a

[29:27] question. His question to the Air Force Academy was, "Do you teach a course

[29:33] on American exceptionalism? Do you teach a course on loving this country, on why it is the greatest country in the

[29:40] world?" Because he said, "These men and women who are about to graduate, be commissioned as officers in the air and

[29:46] Space Force that are willing to give their lives in the defense of this country should know why they love this country. They should

[29:53] know why this is the greatest country on earth, why they're willing to die for it. I thought it was an incredible

[30:00] question. We toured the Air Force Academy chapel and I'm going to

[30:05] challenge our Department of War. I'm going to challenge our country to finish that

[30:11] chapel as a symbol of the spiritual aspect of this country.

[30:17] And I'm going to challenge everyone that hasn't watched Charlie's message about how this country was founded on

[30:23] Christian principles to watch that to learn about the founding of this country

[30:29] and the spiritual roots. And that Air Force Academy chapel

[30:34] having now been delayed for almost eight or nine years is important to

[30:39] finish so that we can get that spiritual aspect back into the lives of our military, our war fighters, and those

[30:45] who are graduating. Charlie, we love you. Your legacy will stand firm in our minds and I am absolutely convinced that

[30:53] your legacy will have a lasting impact on this country. I yield back.

[31:01] Mr. Speaker, I'm prepared to close. Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from California.

[31:08] No additional speakers. I'm prepared to close as well. Gentleman reserves. Gentleman from Arizona is recognized. Close.

[31:14] Thank you, Mr. Mr. Mr. Speaker, and I'll just um gentlemen,

[31:21] does the gentleman from California wish to close at this time? Reserve. Okay. Yield back. Yield. Gentleman yields back. Gentleman

[31:27] from Arizona is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've heard a lot about um Charlie Kirk

[31:34] and rightfully so. We've heard this this important resolution today and and uh I

[31:40] mentioned our love and prayers to Charlie's wonderful wife Erica and their

[31:45] children. Erica uh said uh um uh the

[31:51] other day and when she was speaking she said that this this mission this this

[31:56] program that Charlie was undertaking was not going to be stopped because of his

[32:02] assassination. that it was going to grow bigger and stronger and that it would be unleashed even more. And uh so we we'll

[32:10] point I'll just point out that what's happened in the last few days is I've

[32:16] I've been in contact with my other friends at the Turning Point. More than

[32:21] 50,000 new chapters have been uh applied for all over the country. And um I know

[32:30] that there was one at one I'll just describe it as a Mid-Atlantic University. They had their initial

[32:37] interest meeting and had more than 100 students show up at that. That's what's happening around this country. And it's

[32:44] it this this tragedy out of tragedy has been born I think a hope and an

[32:49] understanding not just for the theological or religiosity that that Charlie brought forward but also for the

[32:56] hope of American renewal and a recognition of the uh greatness of this

[33:02] nation. So that's that's important. I extend my my uh condolences and my my uh

[33:10] friendship also to the Turning Point USA family. I know many of them and um and

[33:16] uh his team, those were that were closest to Charlie, some who were there

[33:21] when he was assassinated. Um I I give them my heartfelt love and and uh wish

[33:28] them strength as they go through and try to cope with this new dynamic in their

[33:33] lives. But the mission goes on. You saw the outpouring from around the world

[33:39] from Tokyo and Seoul to um Spain to

[33:44] London. Literally hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of people coming

[33:49] out to recognize what what Charlie was. And what he was

[33:55] was someone who had conviction in what he believed as far as the his faith, his

[34:01] belief in family. He used to advocate for families. He said the greatest thing you do and he would tell young people

[34:07] this get married, have children, and uh he encouraged people to have a good

[34:12] life. And that was important. But he also believed in this country and that this country allows more people to do

[34:19] more like that than anywhere else. And uh that's why we remember him so today.

[34:27] And it's my hope and I join my hope with the speaker of the house of representatives that this resolution

[34:33] passes in a unanimous fashion. And so Mr. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the

[34:39] balance of my time. Go Charlie. Balance of all time has been yielded back pursuant to House Resolution 722. The

[34:46] previous question is ordered on the resolution and preamble. The question is on the adoption of the resolution. And those in favor say I.

[34:53] Those opposed, no. The eyes have it. The resolution is agreed to. Mr. Speaker, I request the and

[35:02] the A and are requested. Those favoring a vote by the A and will rise. Sufficient number having risen, the A and are ordered. Pursuant to clause 8 of

[35:08] rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed.