Safe Pedestrian and Bicycle Paths

Congressman Adriano Espaillat
Congressional Record: 115th Congress
2 November 2017

 (Mr. ESPAILLAT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my greatest 
sorrow for the New Yorkers, their families, and visitors who were 
affected by the tragedy in Lower Manhattan just 2 days ago. I offer my 
sincere condolences and prayers to their family members.
  After this senseless and indiscriminate attack, Mr. Speaker, we 
cannot wait for another tragedy to pass before we decide to better 
protect pedestrians and bicyclists, especially in areas of high foot 
traffic.
  The sidewalks and bike lanes of Times Square, the Financial District, 
and other city centers nationwide remain vulnerable. The STOP Act is a 
bipartisan bill that I have introduced, along with my colleague 
Congressman Dan Donovan from New York, just this last month and was 
recently introduced by Senator Gillibrand in the Senate.
  As we saw in Charlottesville, Barcelona, and in Times Square months 
ago, vehicles are increasingly utilized in terror attacks worldwide. We 
must prioritize the safety of our constituents first, including the 
safety of pedestrians and of our communities. The STOP Act will provide 
for the installation of bollards in areas of high foot traffic.
  This attack does not define New York, just as no other attack can 
crush the spirit of our city. We rise above those threats when we 
continue being a city that embraces people of all cultures and teaches 
love and respect.