Providing for Consideration of H.R. Separation of Powers Restoration Act of Providing for Proceedings During the Period From June Through July and Providing for Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules
Floor Speech
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Mr. THOMPSON of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, plan to vote to defeat the previous question so we can have some debate on some gun violence prevention legislation-- which is long overdue to be debated in this body. The gentleman mentioned that he is going to offer our amendment on the no fly, no buy legislation--a Republican bill, authored by Republican Congressman Peter King from New York. I think it is essential that we do that.
I understand we are also going to introduce an amendment on the background check legislation, which is also a bipartisan measure--with the overwhelmingly bipartisan support of 187 coauthors in this body. You have got to look at a lot of bills to find one that has that many coauthors--and bipartisan coauthors at that. Also, it is a measure that has overwhelming support amongst the American people. Upwards of around 90 percent of Americans believe that we should do everything possible to make it more difficult for people who shouldn't have guns to be able to get guns. That is what our bill does. That is what our effort does. It makes it more difficult for individuals who shouldn't have guns to get those guns.
I have said it before on this floor, in an attempt to try and get a vote on this critically important legislation, that, if the Republicans don't like the way we are working, work with us. Help us figure out what we can do to make our communities safer.
To my friend on the other side of the aisle, do the Republican Members really believe that it should be easy for criminals, the mentally ill, domestic abusers, or terrorists to get guns?
I know their constituents don't think that they should be able to easily get guns.
The truth of the matter is that the background check legislation that we have makes it more difficult. That is our first line of defense against criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, domestic abusers, and terrorists from being able to get guns. We should bring that bill to the floor; we should debate that bill; and we should pass it. We should be in step with the 90 percent of American people who think that comprehensive background checks should be the law of this great land.
I am a gun owner. I believe strongly in the Second Amendment. Personally, I wouldn't sell a gun to people unless I knew they weren't criminals, they weren't dangerously mentally ill, they weren't domestic abusers, and they weren't terrorists. How do you find out? If you are selling your gun to those you do not know, how do you know if they fall into one of these categories? That is why the background check is so critically important.
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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that 34 States do not go beyond what that Federal floor is. They allow guns to be sold at gun shows, through newspaper ads, or online without the benefit of there being a background check. We should stop that. We should make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, domestic abusers, and terrorists don't get guns. Right now, some 40 percent of the firearms that are sold in our country are sold without the benefit of there being a background check. How does that make our constituents safe? How does that make America more safe?
It is shameful. We need to bring this bill to a vote. We need to pass a background check. We need to make sure that we know who it is who is buying guns. We must do everything we can to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have guns: criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, domestic abusers, and terrorists.
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