Gun Violence in America

Floor Speech

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, our country has witnessed over 130 mass shootings since the beginning of this year. There are 270 million guns in the United States. That amounts to 89 per 100 Americans.

On average, 31 Americans are murdered with guns every day in this country, and 151 are treated in America's emergency rooms. Gun violence costs this country $230 billion every year, which amounts to $200 per person.

Gun death rates fell 56 percent in my State of California, from 1993 to 2010, because the legislature engaged in evidence-based research policy initiatives that have dropped that rate.

Between 2004 and 2013, 316,000 Americans were killed by firearms. During that same timeframe, 313 Americans died from terrorist attacks, both internationally and domestically.

Approximately 40 percent of all gun sales are private and are, therefore, exempted from the current background checks. Studies show that every day that background checks are used, the system stops more than 170 felons, 50 domestic abusers, and nearly 20 fugitives from buying a gun in the United States.

Since 2004, more than 2,000 suspects on the FBI's terrorist watch list have bought weapons in the United States. A gun in a home in the U.S. is 22 times more likely to be used to kill or injure in a domestic homicide, suicide, or unintentional shooting, instead of being used in self-defense.

From 2012 to 2013, at least 100 children were killed in unintentional shootings in the U.S.; almost 2 each week. Guns have killed more Americans in 12 years than AIDS, war, and illegal drug overdoses combined.

On average, 55 Americans kill themselves with firearms each day in this country. In States that require background checks for private handgun sales, there are 48 percent fewer firearm suicides, while the rates of suicide by other methods are nearly identical.

Suicides involving firearms are fatal at least 85 percent of the time in this country compared to the second most used attempted suicide level, which is pills. They are only successful 3 percent of the time.

Mr. Speaker, for those of us who have lost a family member to firearm gun violence, this is an issue that cannot be reconciled with the current majority opinion.

Twenty-eight years ago, my father took his life with a firearm. He had been under the care of a physician for 10 years to deal with depression. We still don't know how he got his gun. He is buried across the river, as a World War II vet, in Arlington.

Mr. Speaker, for those of us who respect the Second Amendment, but also expect the Congress to act rationally on this public health issue, we expect Congress to respect victims of gun violence.

For that reason, we demand, we ask respectfully, and we expect the Speaker and the majority to bring up for a vote two simple bills. We want a vote on the no fly, no buy bill, and we want a vote to close the loopholes on background checks. The victims of gun violence expect no less.

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