Rhode Island First District Congressman Gabe Amo Issues Statement on Dueling Charlie Kirk Resolutions: Opposition to House Resolution 719 & Sponsorship of House Resolution 746
Representative Gabe Amo has risen in opposition to House Resolution 719, authored by House Speaker Johnson, and instead, sponsored House Resolution 746, authored by Representative Marc Veasey, of Texas.
Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI) issued the following statement on H. Res 719:
“The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a tragedy that took a father from his children, husband from his wife, son from his parents, and makes us all less safe. His killing is unequivocally unacceptable.
In the heightened intensity of our political climate, a resolution that divides and reinforces pain does not alleviate political discord or support the principled disagreement essential to American democracy. While the First Amendment entitled Mr. Kirk to spout demeaning and dehumanizing ideas I vehemently disagree with, that same amendment allows me to use my voice to promote kindness and unity for those he disparaged.
As a Black man, I could not in good conscience vote for a resolution that aimed to rewrite history and erase the hateful things Mr. Kirk espoused. We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts. While he has many followers who extol his words that may have been positive, the negative parts of his legacy do not warrant high honor or praise. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.’
Political violence has no place in our democracy, but meaningful, non-violent dialogue is essential. That is why I am co-sponsoring, H.Res 746, a resolution introduced by my colleague Rep. Marc Veasey that condemns Mr. Kirk’s killing and the extreme rise in political violence we have recently witnessed.
I will continue to champion free speech and dialogue, and work to end the scourge of gun violence. While Donald Trump and Republicans are abusing the power of government to silence dissent, I will work to ensure every American, even those with different views than my own, can express their beliefs and opinions without fear of violence or reprisal.”
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
H. RES. 719 (Editorial Note: Opposed by Representative Amo)
Honoring the life and legacy of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk.
Mr. Johnson of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Biggs of Arizona, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Crane, Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Bost, Mr. Kennedy of Utah, Mr. Moore of Utah, Mr. Owens, Ms. Maloy, Mr. Mills, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Alford, Mr. Allen, Mr. Amodei of Nevada, Mr. Arrington, Mr. Babin, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Baird, Mr. Balderson, Mr. Barr, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Bean of Florida, Mr. Begich, Mr. Bentz, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Cline, Mr. Cloud, Mr. Comer, Mr. Crank, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Davidson, Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Donalds, Mr. Dunn of Florida, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Emmer, Mr. Evans of Colorado, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Fallon, Ms. Fedorchak, Mr. Feenstra, Mr. Fine, Mr. Finstad, Mrs. Fischbach, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Flood, Mr. Fong, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mr. Fry, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Goldman of Texas, Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Mr. Gooden, Mr. Graves, Ms. Greene of Georgia, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Haridopolos, Mr. Harrigan, Mr. Harris of North Carolina, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Hern of Oklahoma, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Hill of Arkansas, Mrs. Hinson, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Issa, Mr. Jack, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Mr. Jordan, Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, Ms. King-Hinds, Mr. Knott, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Latta, Mr. Lawler, Ms. Letlow, Mr. Loudermilk, Mr. Mann, Mr. Massie, Mr. Mast, Mrs. McClain, Mr. McClintock, Mr. McDowell, Mr. McGuire, Mr. Messmer, Mr. Meuser, Mrs. Miller of West Virginia, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Moore of West Virginia, Mr. Moore of North Carolina, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, Mr. Patronis, Mr. Perry, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Rose, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Shreve, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Mr. Smucker, Mrs. Spartz, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Steil, Mr. Steube, Mr. Strong, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Taylor, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Van Drew, Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. Van Orden, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Westerman, Mr. Wied, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Womack, Mr. Yakym, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Guest, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Kustoff, Mr. Gill of Texas, and Mr. Zinke) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Honoring the life and legacy of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk.
Whereas Charles “Charlie” James Kirk, born October 14, 1993, was a courageous American patriot, whose life was tragically and unjustly cut short in an act of political violence on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University;
Whereas Charlie Kirk was a devoted Christian, who boldly lived out his faith with conviction, courage, and compassion;
Whereas Charlie Kirk was a dedicated husband to his beloved wife, Erika Kirk, and a loving father to their daughter and son, exemplifying the virtues of faith, fidelity, and fatherhood;
Whereas Charlie Kirk was a fierce defender of the American founding and its timeless principles of life, liberty, limited government, and individual responsibility;
Whereas Charlie Kirk, at 18 years old, founded Turning Point USA in 2012, a student movement with the mission to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government”;
Whereas Charlie Kirk became one of the most prominent voices in America, engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms, and national forums, always seeking to elevate truth, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic;
Whereas Charlie Kirk personified the values of the First Amendment, exercising his God-given right to speak freely, challenge prevailing narratives, and did so with honor, courage, and respect for his fellow Americans;
Whereas Charlie Kirk’s commitment to civil discussion and debate stood as a model for young Americans across the political spectrum, and he worked tirelessly to promote unity without compromising on conviction;
Whereas the assassination of Charlie Kirk was not only a heinous act of violence, but a sobering reminder of the growing threat posed by political extremism and hatred in our society;
Whereas such acts of politically motivated violence are antithetical to the principles of a free republic, in which differences of opinion are to be debated—not silenced—with civility, reason, and mutual respect;
Whereas the rise in targeted violence against individuals for their political beliefs undermines the very fabric of our constitutional democracy and chills the free exchange of ideas essential to a healthy civic society;
Whereas leaders at every level—government, education, media, and beyond—must stand united in unequivocal condemnation of political violence, regardless of their ideology;
Whereas the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk must not be allowed to deepen the divides in our Nation, but instead serve as a turning point to recommit ourselves to better angels, and to the timeless American principles of liberty governed by truth and the virtues of peaceful dialogue; and
Whereas Charlie Kirk would not have us respond to his death with despair, but rather with renewed purpose—to speak truth with courage, to stand firm in faith, to seek unity while standing firm in principle, and to serve as living reminders of the values he championed: faith, family, and freedom: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the assassination of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk, and all forms of political violence;
(2) commends and honors the dedicated law enforcement and emergency personnel for their tireless efforts in finding the suspect responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk and urges the administration of swift justice to the suspect;
(3) extends its deepest condolences and sympathies to Charlie Kirk’s family, including his wife, Erika, and their two young children, and prays for comfort, peace, and healing in this time of unspeakable loss;
(4) honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty; and
(5) calls upon all Americans—regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed—to reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session |
H. RES. 746 (Editorial Note: Sponsored by Representative Amo)
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning all forms of political violence and rejecting rhetoric that dehumanizes or demonizes political opponents.
Mr. Veasey (for himself, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Amo, Ms. Adams, Mr. Auchincloss, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Bera, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Budzinski, Ms. Bynum, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Carson, Mr. Casar, Mr. Casten, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cleaver, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Correa, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. DeGette, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Dexter, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Elfreth, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Foster, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Green of Texas, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Keating, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Mannion, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, Mr. Olszewski, Ms. Omar, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Ross, Mr. Ruiz, Ms. Salinas, Ms. Sánchez, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Schneider, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Swalwell, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mrs. Torres of California, Mr. Tran, Mrs. Trahan, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Vindman, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Vasquez, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Stanton, Ms. Brown, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Balint, Mr. Crow, Mr. Ivey, Ms. Pou, Ms. McBride, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Underwood, Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Mr. Conaway, Mrs. McBath, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Magaziner, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Randall, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Craig, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Scholten, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Peters, and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning all forms of political violence and rejecting rhetoric that dehumanizes or demonizes political opponents.
Whereas democracy depends upon the peaceful contest of ideas, not intimidation, violence, or assassination;
Whereas acts of political violence and threats against elected officials, candidates, and public figures undermine the safety of those who serve, the trust of the governed, and the integrity of democratic institutions;
Whereas, in September 2025, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by gunfire during a speaking event in Orem, Utah, in a horrifying attack authorities have described as politically motivated;
Whereas, in June 2025, multiple Minnesota legislators and their families were targeted in coordinated shootings, including the assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, and the attempted assassinations of Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman;
Whereas, in April 2025, arsonist Cody Balmer threw Molotov cocktails into the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence, setting fire to the building;
Whereas, in July 2024, an armed individual attempted the assassination of President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in death and injury, followed by a second attempt in 2025 at his golf club in Florida;
Whereas, in October 2022, Paul Pelosi, husband of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was brutally attacked in his home by an assailant seeking to harm the Speaker;
Whereas, on June 8, 2022, an armed individual was arrested near the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after traveling from California with the stated intent to assassinate him;
Whereas, on January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was attacked by a violent mob seeking to disrupt the certification of the Presidential election, resulting in deaths, injuries, and threats to the safety of Members of Congress, staff, and law enforcement officers;
Whereas, in 2020, members of a paramilitary militia group plotted to kidnap and assassinate Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer;
Whereas such events demonstrate an escalating pattern of politically motivated violence across the country, targeting leaders and public figures across the political spectrum;
Whereas Members of Congress and other public officials have increasingly faced death threats, harassment, and intimidation aimed at silencing them or deterring them from fulfilling their representative responsibilities; and
Whereas such violence or threats, whether carried out or attempted, strike at the heart of representative democracy, impede free speech, chill civic engagement, and endanger the legitimacy and functioning of government, including the House of Representatives: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) condemns all forms of political violence, including assassination and attempted assassination of public officials, candidates, and public figures, regardless of political party or ideology;
(2) affirms that violence and threats have no place in the political arena and that all political disputes must be resolved through lawful, peaceful, democratic means;
(3) reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and respect for all Members of Congress, State legislators, elected officials, and other public servants;
(4) urges law enforcement authorities at all levels to thoroughly investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those who commit or incite political violence;
(5) commends law enforcement and all public officials who work to respond to such violence;
(6) calls on all public officials, community leaders, and media to reject rhetoric that dehumanizes or demonizes opponents and to foster civil discourse; and
(7) declares that threats or acts of violence against officials or public figures degrade the dignity, safety, and integrity of the House of Representatives and of democratic institutions more broadly.
