Congress passes legislation to make Pulse Nightclub a national memorial
ORLANDO, FL – JUNE 11: People visit the memorial to the victims of the mass shooting setup around the Pulse gay nightclub one day before the one year anniversary of the shooting on June 11, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. Omar Mateen killed 49 people at the club a little after 2 a.m. on June 12, 2016. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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ORLANDO (NewsNation Now) — Nearly 5 years after one of the largest mass shootings in U.S. history, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to make the Pulse nightclub a national memorial.
The bill’s passage comes during the midst of Pride month. The legislation also was approved in the House of Representatives. It was originally introduced in May by Reps. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Val Demings (D-Fla.) and Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.).
It heads to President Joe Biden’s desk where he is expected to sign it.
On June 12, 2016, a gunman entered the Pulse Nightclub shooting indiscriminately. He killed 49 people and injured 50. At the time, it was the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.
The approval for the nightclub as a national landmark does not mean the site will receive any federal funds, since it’s not a part of the National Park Service. Corporations, Florida State government, and the county government have all pledged tens of millions towards an eventual monument.
In the bill’s text, it states, “the designation of the National Pulse Memorial shall not require or permit Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to that national memorial.”
Florida Senator Rick Scott was governor during the Pulse shooting and had asked for the unanimous approval of the national landmark designation.