REPRESENTATIVE ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON ATTACKS IN NEW ZEALAND

NEW YORK, NY – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement in response to the tragedies at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

"This gross and premeditated act of domestic terrorism has led to the loss of 49 innocent lives. One coward driven by hatred of Muslims and ignorance of Islam took up arms and with extreme prejudice sought out innocent men, women, and children in their houses of worship — a house of God — to maim and kill," said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who serves as a member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"Islamophobia and white supremacy are not one in the same. But the genesis of these hateful ideologies continues to become intertwined in the minds of individuals paralyzed by fear. There is no empathy or capacity for introspection. We must stand with our Muslim communities here and abroad; an Ummah made stronger in tenor and unity.

"We choose to remember the victims, their families and loved ones and support New Zealand as it begins the process of healing and rebuilding."

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First elected to Congress in 2016, Rep. Adriano Espaillat is serving his second term in Congress where he serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Small Business Committee. He serves as a Senior Whip of the House Democratic Caucus and is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) where he also serves in a leadership role as CHC Whip. He is also chairman of the CHC Task Force for Transportation, Infrastructure and Housing. Rep. Espaillat's Congressional District includes Harlem, East Harlem, northern Manhattan and the north-west Bronx. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at /.

Media inquiries: Candace Randle Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov