In Rare Unity, Congress Condemns Attack That Killed Melissa, Mark Hortman

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a rare moment of congressional unity, the U.S. Senate and House have unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution honoring former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were killed during a targeted political attack earlier this month.

The resolution also condemns political violence and calls on Americans and elected officials to reaffirm their commitment to democracy and civil discourse.

Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith introduced the resolution in the Senate, joined by Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D.; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

The House version was sponsored by Minnesota Reps. Kelly Morrison, Betty McCollum, Tom Emmer, Pete Stauber, Angie Craig, Ilhan Omar, Michelle Fischbach and Brad Finstad.

The resolution states that:

• Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed in their home on June 14 by a gunman who had a list of lawmakers targeted for assassination.
• State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also critically injured that day in a related attack.
• Law enforcement officers in Brooklyn Park and Champlin responded quickly and saved additional lives.

"Acts of political violence have no place in the United States and represent a grave threat," the resolution reads. "Political violence not only attacks the life and liberty of the representatives of the people of the United States, it also attacks the right of the people to be represented."

The resolution formally honors the Hortmans’ lives, the Hoffmans’ recovery, and the police response. It calls on all Americans to “unite in this moment of pain and tragedy” and reject violent rhetoric.

Find the full text of the resolution here.