they open the new facility national museum of african-american history and roseburg virginia. thousands of people attended saturday's opening ceremony. that included from present george w. bush and bill clinton along with chief justice john roberts. museum officials say nearly 3000 items are on display that includes tuskegee airmen training playing in the casket of emmett till is an african-american boy whose murder helped rally the civil rights movement. >>> local stuntman helped pioneer civil rights movement in to be a part of history almost 50 years later. members of the blackstock men's association have inducted have been inducted into the smithsonian museum over in washington a news 3 kristi wilcox joins with the story only see here a news 3. >> reporter: lily harris read the invitation he got three weeks ago with a smile. >> that means that when we are gone we are still here because of the smithsonian national museum for afro-americans history and culture. harris was stuntman in hollywood and a pioneer civil rights 50 years ago he says it was a challenge. >> persistent s

the mass shootings from roseburg to san bernardino to orlando have continued. gun homicides remain as regular as raindrops in our urban cores and there was or decisions see the assault weapon rather than a hijacked airplane or the improvised explosive devices, their primary opportunity for mass slaughter in america. stopping dangerous to a military assault weapons from flooding our streets is now one of the most effective tools we have to combat terrorism. that's what drove me to make the decision to stand on the floor of the united states senate for 15 hours to demand change. i was furious. i'm still furious that in three years and sandy hook, in three years of almost daily bloodshed in our cities, congress has done absolutely nothing to prevent the next massacre. think about that. as our airwaves are flooded with news of horrific levels of gun violence in chicago, ms shooting aftermath shooting, congress hasn't done a single thing. but i also understand that my fury, or the fruit of others over this in action, it's not going to make progress. we need passion

the mass shootings from roseburg, san bernardino, orlando. gun homicides remain as rain drops in you urban cores. and they see the assault weapon rather than the hijacked airplane as their primary opportunity for mass slaughter in america. stopping dangerous style military assault weapons from flooding our streets is one of the most effective tools we have to on combat terrorism. so that's what drove me to make a decision to stand on the floor of the united states senate for 15 hours to demand change. i was furious. i'm still furious. in three years since sandy hook in three years of almost daily bloodshed in our cities, congress has done absolutely nothing to prevent the next massacre. think about that. as our airwaves are flooded with news of horrific levels of gun violence in chicago. mass shooting after mass shooting. congress hasn't done a single thing. but i also understand that my fury or the fury of others over this inaction, it's not going to make progress. we need passion. but we also need to understand the reasons why the two sides

then, there was chattanooga, roseburg, colorado springs, san bernardino, dozens murdered in senseless killing sprees. while the country demanded a vote to finally do something about gun violence, this congress responded with silence. three months ago after the worst gun massacre in modern history took place at the pulse nightclub in orlando, florida, some of us had finally had enough. if our friends in the lgbt community have taught us anything, it's that silence equals death, and this is no time to be silent. our frustration and the frustration of the american people resulted in a sit-in that gave voice to the american families who are fed up with a congress who's cowed into silence by the rich and powerful gun lobby. here we are three months later and house republicans have spent more time thinking about how they can punish us for that sit-in than doing anything, anything to address the gun violence devastating americans. in july, rather than allow debate and votes on keeping american children and families safe, republican leaders adjourned this house. ince then an additional 2015 a

i know that roseburg and the movement we know as u.c.c. strong and the whole state of oregon have come together over this past year to support the families, the victims and those who were injured. senator merkley and i over the next few days are going to dedicate and redouble our efforts to do all that we possibly can to again reach out to folks in roseburg and be supportive and do everything we can as senators honored to represent oregon in the united states senate to prevent more shootings like the horrible one that took place at u.c.c. in oregon. with that, i yield the floor to my colleague, senator merkley. i very much appreciate the chance to work with him and our delegation on this, and i yield the floor. mr. merkley: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oregon. mr. merkley: i join with my friend and colleague, senator wyden, to recognize the somber anniversary of the tragedy that struck our home state of oregon a year ago. on october 1, 2015, the town of roseburg was changed forever. roseburg is a quiet, beautiful,