Rep. Summer Lee condemns antisemitism on House floor as penalty phase nears in synagogue shooting trial

The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial is on pause this week as the prosecution and defense prepare to move from the guilt phase to the penalty phase.On Wednesday, Congresswoman Summer Lee, who represents the Squirrel Hill neighborhood where the shooting occurred, spoke on the House floor, calling for a united stance to combat antisemitism."The attack on the three Pittsburgh Jewish congregations is part of a larger pattern of hate-fueled violence that plagues our nation. The Black community is all too familiar with the rising tide of white supremacy in this country," she said. "The federal government has the responsibility to act. We all have the responsibility to use our platforms to condemn the rhetoric and dismantle the systems of white supremacy that enable this and other kinds of violence against our communities. We must strengthen our gun laws to make sure weapons of war never enter the hands of someone capable of such violence."Last Friday, Robert Bowers was convicted on all 63 counts in the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in American history. The penalty phase begins on Monday, when a jury will decide whether Bowers will receive the death penalty.