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WASHINGTON - The Republican-controlled House passed a resolution honoring the life of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, condemning his assassination and urging Americans “to reject political violence.” The resolution sponsored by House Speaker Mike Johnson passed by a vote of 310-58 on Sept. 19. All Republicans and 95 Democrats voted in favor of it. Fifty-eight Democrats opposed the resolution and 38 Democrats voted present.Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking in front of a crowd of people as part of his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University. President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death in a Truth Social post, calling him "Great, and even Legendary."The resolution says that 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.”Kirk's death sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill. Lawmakers engaged in a shouting match on the House floor Sept. 10 after a moment of silence was held for Kirk. Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna at one point yelled at Democrats, "y’all caused this!"Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive firebrand from New York, told reporters that Kirk’s assassination “risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America.”The resolution calls on Americans to "recommit to respectful debate" regardless of their political affiliation.
