The American People Have Had Enough

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the American people have had enough. They have had enough with the epidemic of gun violence in our country. They have had enough with House Republicans' obstruction of bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment legislation to help keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them-- terrorists, criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill--because whether it is in a movie theater, on a college campus, at an elementary school, in a church, in a nightclub, or on the streets of our cities, we have lost far too many innocent lives to gun violence.

Let me give you some numbers: 3\1/2\, that is the number of years since the terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School; 34,000, that is the number of people who have been killed by someone using a gun since Sandy Hook; 1,182, that is the number of mass shootings in our country since Sandy Hook; 30, that is the number of moments of silence observed by this House for victims of gun violence since Sandy Hook; 521, that is the number of days the House has been in session since Sandy Hook; and zero--zero--that is the number of votes that have been taken in this House to keep guns out of dangerous hands in the last 3\1/2\ years.

Just a few weeks ago, we experienced the worst mass shooting in our country's history at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Forty-nine innocent people lost their lives in that nightclub, 49 people who were someone's son, daughter, someone's brother, sister, someone's significant other, someone's friend, and someone's loved one.

After this horrific shooting, the American people don't want to see their elected representatives fall back into the same old pattern of mass shootings followed by moments of silence, thoughts and prayers, but no real action taken to help prevent the next tragedy. The American people want to see Congress pass meaningful legislation to help keep our communities and our loved ones safe.

Eighty-five percent of Americans are in favor of banning individuals on the terrorist watch list from being able to legally buy guns. Ninety percent of Americans support strengthening and expanding our background check system.

There are two bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment bills that would do just that:

The first bill, H.R. 1076, known as the no fly, no buy, was introduced by our Republican colleague Peter King. This bill says that if you are on the FBI's terrorist watch list, then you don't get to walk into a gun store, pass a background check, and leave with the weapon of your choice. If there is one thing both sides of the aisle should be able to agree on, it is keeping guns away from suspected terrorists. Bring that bill up for a vote.

The second bill, H.R. 1217--with 186 coauthors, Democrats and Republicans--would close a dangerous loophole in our background check system that allows criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill to bypass a background check altogether and, instead, purchase their guns online or at a gun show or through a classified ad. This is a huge loophole, and it costs lives.

You don't have to look any further than the sister of Elvin Daniel from Wisconsin. His sister Zina had a restraining order against her husband which prevented him from passing a background check when he tried to buy a gun in a store. Nevertheless, Zina's husband was able to go online and buy the same gun, a 40-caliber semiautomatic handgun, and he took that gun and used it to kill Zina and two other people in a store in Wisconsin.

This bill would close these kinds of loopholes and help stop criminals from getting guns. Everyone says they want to keep guns away from dangerous people, but the only way to know if someone is dangerous is to conduct a background check. Background checks are our first line of defense against criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill in getting guns.

Last year, 260 Members of this House--including 76 of my Republican colleagues--voted to fund the background check system at record levels. Let me tell you, if you are willing to fund the system at historic levels, you should have no problem using the system. Bring this bill up for a vote.

Both of these bills are not only bipartisan, they respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. I am a gun owner. I own guns. I support the Second Amendment. If these bills did anything to violate those rights, my name wouldn't be on them. As a responsible gun owner, I understand that if gun violence continues unabated, then eventually we will see laws that place overly burdensome restrictions on our right to own guns. Bring these bills up for a vote.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source