Protecting Our Kids Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, the Protecting Our Kids Act. I point out that every argument we have heard against it so far is nonsense.

Every student deserves to feel safe in school, and every parent should know that their child is safe when they walk out of their house in the morning.

After each mass shooting, too many people are content to offer their thoughts and prayers. The Protecting Our Kids Act is more than thoughts and prayers.

I was proud to work on this bill with Chairman Nadler, Chairwoman Jackson Lee, and all of our colleagues who have contributed bills and input that have made this bill the important bill that it is.

As a lifelong hunter, gun owner, and as a combat veteran, I believe in law-abiding citizens' ability and right to own firearms. As a gun owner, I believe that all responsible gun owners have that responsibility to support efforts to help keep our schools, streets, and communities safe from mass shootings and from the everyday gun violence that often goes unreported by the media.

Each provision in this bill helps reduce gun violence, and it saves lives. Raising the age to buy an assault weapon saves lives. Limiting magazine capacity will limit the carnage of mass shootings, and it saves lives. Going after traffickers keeps guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them, and it saves lives. Safe storage helps reduce suicides and keeps kids safe at home and school, and it saves lives. The unregulated sales of bump stocks and ghost guns is tearing up our communities; regulating ghost guns and regulating bump stocks saves lives.

This bill respects the Second Amendment while taking steps to protect our communities from the epidemic of gun violence. None of our careers are worth more than the lives of the children in this country. We need to pass this bill, and I hope we do it with strong bipartisan support.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source