spinal cord was severed by a bullet when you were just 16 years old, as a junior police cadet, in an accidental shooting of a semiautomatic pistol. you've now asked several of the lawmakers to bring victims of gun violence to tonight's speech. what are your hopes? what are your expectations, by doing this? by asking your colleagues to bring a victim of gun violence this evening? >> well, you're right. this is a very personal issue for me, any time we talk about gun-related issues. my accident was an accident. it didn't happen, thankfully, because of violence. but for all of the people that are here, that are passionate about this issue, it is a very personal issue. and i give great credit to all the families who are coming down here today to share their personal story about how gun violence has affected their lives directly. and i believe that lawmakers now, members of the house and senate, need to show the same kind of courage that the victims or those who have have been affected profoundly by gun violence are in sharing their