U.S. House passes bill designating Pulse a national memorial

Orlando, Fla. —

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday to make Pulse nightclub a national memorial site.

The bill H.R. 49 was introduced by central Florida representatives, Val Demings, Stephanie Murphy and Darren Soto.

Rep. Murphy, said the memorial would serve as a welcoming “place of healing” and reflect “the same love, acceptance, and spirit of community” of the victims and the entire LGBTQ community. The bill will now head to the U.S. Senate.

A similar bill, H.R. 3094, unanimously passed the House last year but stalled in the Senate.

On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed and 58 other wounded in the Pulse night Club shooting.

The Memorial will not require federal funds to be used for any purpose for the site.

In a tweet following the bill’s passage, Rep Darren Soto praised the legislation’s progress and thanked Demings and Murphy for their support.

Cox Media Group