Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to House Amendment to S. National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of Providing for Consideration of S. Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act; and Waiving A Requirement of Clause 6(A) of Rule Xiii with Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions Reported From the Committee on Rules

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question so that our ranking member can bring up his amendment to prevent suspected terrorists, people who are on the FBI's no-fly list, people who can't fly on an airplane because the FBI has determined it is too dangerous to the American public to allow these people to fly. But under existing law, they can legally buy a gun of their choice at a gun store. That is wrong. We all know it is wrong. Eighty-five percent of the American people believe that is wrong and support this measure.

We believe that terrorists, that criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill should not be able to have easy access to guns. Background checks and the no fly, no buy legislation are the two ways to make it tougher for them to get guns.

We are getting ready, under the Republican leadership, to run out of here and take weeks' worth of vacation without addressing this issue. I think it is shameful.

We have had 34,000 deaths by someone using a gun since the Sandy Hook tragedy 3\1/2\ years ago. We have had 1,196 mass shootings since the Sandy Hook tragedy. We have held 31 moments of silence on this floor for people who have been killed in mass shootings, but we have had zero votes on any gun violence prevention legislation. That is wrong.

The background check bill that we have before us is a bipartisan bill. As a matter of fact, there are 197 Members of Congress who are the coauthors of that bill, Democrats and Republicans. Ninety percent of the American people support it.

Why won't the Republican leadership allow that bill to be voted on here on the floor?

Every day there is another gun violence tragedy. We just had yesterday the memorial for the tragic situation in Dallas, Texas, where five police officers were murdered by someone using a gun.

It is not a partisan issue. When somebody takes a gun and goes to kill someone, they don't ask if they are Democrats or if they are Republicans. We need to put the partisan strife aside and deal with this. We need to come to this floor and work on solutions that will help keep the people who sent us to Washington, D.C., safe. It is long past time.

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, right outside of my district, two individuals with AK-47s held up an armored car. They shot one of the guards, and they took off and ended up in my district where police stopped them. One of them shot at the local police officer. He was able to hit him with his car. They arrested him. The other one with his AK-47 took off on the run. Two SWAT teams, the FBI, and the local police were out there trying to hunt this guy down with an AK-47.

This is personal. This could happen in any of our districts. It is real personal for me because one of those cops looking for this guy was my son. I don't want my son or any of your sons having to go up against some criminal with any kind of gun, the least of which would be a long gun that would pierce most of the protection they have.

Let's bring this bill to the floor. Let's get this thing done.

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