By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. – One year after the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, members of Congress are marking the somber anniversary with a formal resolution.
Republican lawmakers — including Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Kelly — introduced a measure recognizing the July 13, 2024, shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where President Trump narrowly escaped with his life.
The resolution not only commemorates the attack in Butler — Kelly’s hometown — but also condemns what lawmakers are calling a disturbing rise in violence against public officials.
That includes a second assassination attempt on President Trump in Florida, and recent attacks on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and state lawmakers in Minnesota.
The resolution also pays tribute to Corey Comperatore, the local firefighter and Army veteran who was killed shielding his family. Two others — David Dutch and James Copenhaver — were critically wounded.
Lawmakers who unveiled the resolution today called on all elected officials to be mindful of their rhetoric.
“I’m asking all our Congress, everybody in the Congress, everybody that’s in elected office, please watch what you say. Don’t start off saying we should never do this — and then within 24 hours, go out and make statements again that incite people. That’s a false lead, it’s a false premise. Our resolution is an attempt to get people to speak the way they should speak. In America, the way we settle things is by votes,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.). “We must stand up together to oppose violence against our nation’s leaders all across each party,” he added.
Lawmakers say the resolution is not about party lines — but about drawing a line in the sand when it comes to political violence. The measure urges a recommitment to civil discourse and public safety at every level of government.
