Good morning.

Before we begin our work for the day, I would like to pause for a moment to acknowledge the tragic events that took place in the City of Orlando early Sunday morning.

On that fateful day, forty nine lives were stolen in a hate-fueled attack, the likes of which have become all too common, in our society.

Dozens of injured victims are lying in hospitals as we speak, fighting for their lives surrounded by their loved ones and prayers from people across the globe.

Our hearts go out to all those who were touched by this senseless violence.

We mourn the loss of these innocent lives whose only crime was living life on their own terms, free from the shadows of prejudice and discrimination.

As New Yorkers, we must do what we do best, and that is to continue fighting to protect every citizen against bigotry and intolerance in all its forms.

In memory of the victims, and with gratitude for the heroes who risked their lives in this tragic episode, in the coming days we will be passing a resolution to show our solidarity with the people of Orlando and every community that was touched by this tragedy.

I invite all the members to join me in sponsoring this resolution.

And now, I invite members and all our guests in the Chamber today to join me in a brief moment of silence.