OKLAHOMA CITY – The 31st anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing was remembered in the Oklahoma House of Representatives Monday before last with a special presentation.

Reps. Rick West, RHeavener, and Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City, recognized a number of speakers who shared personal memories from April 19, 1995, and encouraging messages for the future. On that day, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, resulting in the deaths of 168 people. More than 850 others were injured. It is the worst domestic terrorist attack ever to occur in United States history.

West also read House Resolution 1046 which recalls the events of the bombing and expresses gratitude to those who responded to the act of terrorism.

West worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the time of the bombing. He lost seven co-workers that day. Each year that he’s served as a state representative, he’s presented a resolution in the House to remember his coworkers and others killed or injured in the bombing.

“We owe it to ourselves, our children and our future generations to never forget what happened in Oklahoma City,” West said. “We do this every year to remember those we loved who were killed, but also with the hope of building a better and more peaceful future. We must never let hatred and division define us. We seek love above all.”

Hefner, who represents a portion of Oklahoma City, and has participated in multiple remembrance ceremonies, said, “Today in the House, we remember April 19, 1995, and the 168 people who died. We remember the example given by how we responded as Oklahoman‘ s on that day and after that day. Today, we listened to Justice Stephen Taylor. He reminded us of Better Conversations and the importance of listening, engaging, and leading with respect, even in the hardest moments.”

In addition to comments from Justice Taylor, Monday’s floor presentation featured Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell who spoke about Oklahoma’s response to the bombing. Senior Master Sergeant Brian Curtius, with the Tulsa Air National Guard 138th Fighter Wing Fire Department, shared his experience as a first responder.

Also speaking was Kari Watkins, director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, and Chris Fleming, the chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Memorial & Museum. They honored state agency survivors and family members and explained Journey of Hope, which teaches about the bombing to students in all 77 counties in Oklahoma and encourages Better Conversations to help students learn virtues like patience, humility and civility. Ronnie Fields, a Guthrie pastor whose mother was killed in the bombing, closed the ceremony with prayer.