WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) took to the House floor for the second year in a row to commemorate the five members of the Capital Gazette whose lives were tragically lost on June 28, 2018, in a mass shooting in their Annapolis newsroom. Ahead of the eighth anniversary, the Congresswoman read aloud the names of the five journalists who were killed and urged her colleagues to take further action to pass common-sense gun safety legislation.

"Eight years ago, on June 28th, 2018, a gunman killed these five members of our hometown newspaper, the Capital Gazette. And eight years later, I rise to ask my colleagues a simple question: what progress have we made? What progress have we made so that parents don't fear for their children's lives at school drop off? What progress have we made so worshipers can pray without fear? So journalists aren't killed on the job?" said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. "Congress has a responsibility to rise above thoughts and prayers. We can and we must bring action and solutions."

Congresswoman Elfreth remains steadfast in her commitment to pass common-sense gun safety measures to protect schools, workplaces, places of worship, community gatherings, and more. Elfreth has consistently supported efforts to reduce gun violence and cosponsored legislation including the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act, the GOSAFE Act, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, the Raise the Age Act of 2025, and Ethan's Law.

CLICK HERE or the image below to view Elfreth's full remarks.

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth

Remarks as Delivered

Floor Speech

June 24th, 2026

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith, and Wendi Winters.

Eight years ago, on June 28th, 2018, a gunman killed these five members of our hometown newspaper, the Capital Gazette.

And eight years later, I rise to ask my colleagues a simple question: what progress have we made? What progress have we made so that parents don't fear for their children's lives at school drop off? What progress have we made so worshipers can pray without fear? So journalists aren't killed on the job?

Congress has a responsibility to rise above thoughts and prayers. We can and we must bring action and solutions. We share a collective responsibility to ensure not just Annapolis, but every community is safe from the scourge of gun violence that has plagued our nation for too long.

Eight years later, I urge us to return to that collective responsibility.

And with that, I yield back.

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