115th Congress
"I believe courage is given where courage is honored and your patriotic desire to serve has been rewarded with the honors of a grateful nation that can never do enough to pay you back for your service," said Moolenaar.
Moolenaar, the Republican representative for Michigan's 4th District, is a designated hitter who is typically assigned to the outfield. Wednesday's practice began at 6:15 a.m. with batting practice behind the plate and then off to the batting cages for machine pitches. Moolenaar was in the batting cage when he heard the first gunshot.
Moolenaar asked for prayers for all those injured in the shooting: Congressman Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, the House majority whip; Matt Mika and Zach Barth and Capitol Police officers Crystal Griner and David Bailey.
"When they returned fire, the situation changed from a massacre to a shootout," Moolenaar said on a media call Thursday. "I'm very grateful for the courage of the law enforcement officials who returned fire and subdued the attacker. I want to compliment (Majority Whip Steve) Scalise's security detail as well as U.S.