Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) led a moment of silence to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on December 6th, 2023. Congresswoman Titus provided the following remarks before offering a moment of silence.

“I invite all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the three precious lives that were lost to a heinous act of gun violence on December 6, 2023, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

“Patricia Navarro Velez, an assistant professor of accounting at the university and a mother of four, devoted her career to educating the next generation of business professionals, particularly among underserved populations and minority populations. 

“Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, a professor of management information systems and devoted UNLV colleague for more than 20 years, was known for his even-keeled, positive, and unwavering presence. 

“Naoko Takemaru was an associate professor of Japanese studies and a noted author, academic, and award-winning educator. In her 20th year at UNLV, Takemaru’s colleagues remembered her as “lionhearted in kindness.” 

“Today, I stand here in solidarity with my colleagues from Nevada with a heavy heart for the victims, their families, and all of the UNLV students, faculty, and staff who experienced this horrific event. I ask that we not only use this time to remember the important and selfless contributions that each of these individuals made to our educational community, but also to thank the heroic first responders and reflect on the pressing need to enact common-sense legislation to protect our communities from the epidemic of gun violence.”

Background
Congresswoman Dina Titus taught American and Nevada government classes for 35 years at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she currently has professor emeritus status.

The full moment of silence and floor speech can be found HERE.

This week Congresswoman Titus will introduce a resolution recognizing the lives that were lost, the courage of the first responders, and the urgent need for commonsense gun violence prevention reforms.