Condemning the horrific shootings that occurred in Monterey Park, California, on January 21, 2023, and in Half Moon Bay, California, on January 23, 2023, honoring the memory of the victims of the attacks, expressing condolences and support to all those impacted by these tragedies, and reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to supporting the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.

Whereas, in Asian-American communities across the country, Lunar New Year is the highlight of the year and a time of celebration and spending time with family; Whereas, in Monterey Park, California, on January 21, 2023, community members, many of whom were seniors, gathered at Star Ballroom Dance Studio to dance and celebrate Lunar New Year’s Eve; Whereas, at 10:22 p.m., the sense of joy and safety felt by the community members was horrifically shattered by a shooter who opened fire at the dance studio, murdering 11 people and injuring 9; Whereas, after the shooting in Monterey Park, California, the shooter drove to Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra, California, with the intent to kill more people; Whereas 26-year-old Brandon Tsay disarmed the gunman when he arrived at Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio, took possession of the weapon, and prevented further senseless violence; Whereas the people of the United States mourn the 11 innocent lives lost, all of whom were of Asian descent and between 57 and 76 years old, and many of whom were immigrants; Whereas the victims who tragically died were Valentino Marcos Alvero, Hongying Jian, Yu-Lun Kao, Lilan Li, Ming Wei Ma, Mymy Nhan, Diana Tom, Muoi Dai Ung, Chia Ling Yau, Wen-Tau Yu, and Xiujuan Yu; Whereas, on January 23, 2023, in a separate incident, another shooter opened fire at California Terra Garden, a mushroom farm in Half Moon Bay, California, murdering 4 people and severely injuring 1; Whereas, after fleeing the scene, the gunman traveled 2 miles south to Concord Farms, where he took 3 additional lives; Whereas those who were tragically murdered were immigrant farmworkers who came to the United States to pursue the American dream and contributed immensely to our country by working hard to put food on our tables; Whereas the deceased, like many farmworkers, lived in deplorable housing conditions, struggled to access health care and fair wages, and were highly vulnerable to exploitation; Whereas to honor our proud heritage as a Nation of immigrants, we must ensure that all immigrant farmworkers are treated with dignity and have a quality of life worthy of the promise of our country; Whereas the people of the United States mourn the 7 innocent lives lost, 2 of whom were of Mexican descent and 5 of whom were of Chinese descent, all of whom were immigrants and farmworkers; Whereas the victims who tragically died were Yetao Bing, Qizhong Cheng, Marciano Martinez Jimenez, Zhishen Liu, Jingzhi Lu, José Romero Perez, and Aixiang Zhang; Whereas the Monterey Park, California, and Half Moon Bay, California, shootings happened while Asian-American communities have been experiencing increased fear and lack of safety in the midst of an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents related to the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas the United States saw a 339-percent increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans between 2020 and 2021; Whereas gun lobbyists deliberately target and market gun sales to Asian Americans by capitalizing on their fear of violent racist attacks; Whereas, according to a study by researchers at Stanford University, gun ownership doubles the risk for homicides and triples the risk of suicides; Whereas gun violence is a national public health crisis, and resources on firearm violence prevention should be made available to racial and ethnic minority communities, individuals with limited English proficiency, and immigrant communities; and Whereas the people of the United States will always remember the victims of these shootings and stand in solidarity with those affected by these unconscionable tragedies: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the horrific acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of 11 lives in Monterey Park, California, on January 21, 2023, and of 7 lives in Half Moon Bay, California, on January 23, 2023; (2) honors the memory and legacy of the innocent victims and offers heartfelt condolences and support to their families; (3) commends the heroism of the brave individuals who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others during the heinous attacks; (4) recognizes that recovery will be difficult for the communities in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, the Asian-American community, and all communities impacted by these tragedies, and expresses hope that those injured by the attacks, both physically and emotionally, will all heal; (5) honors the courage and selflessness of community members, law enforcement, first responders, medical professionals, and all other individuals who responded to the attacks; and (6) reaffirms the commitment of the Federal Government to combat gun violence and violence targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other communities of color, and to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.

Summary: This resolution condemns the shootings that occurred in Monterey Park, California, on January 21, 2023, and in Half Moon Bay, California, on January 23, 2023, and reaffirms the commitment of the federal government to combat gun violence and violence targeting Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other communities of color.