Gun Violence Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, firearms are now the leading cause of death for our children in the United States. This is the reality that we are living with, and it is one that we should refuse to accept.

Every day, over 100 Americans are killed from gun violence and more than 200 people are shot and wounded. These are not just statistics, Mr. Speaker, they are human beings with lives and futures, with mothers, friends and loved ones.

It is sickening that the NRA and the gun lobby have bankrolled many of my colleagues in this Chamber into silence and inaction on this issue.

Many of these deaths involve the accidental discharge of a firearm, often by a child, including a number of recent tragic incidents in southeastern Michigan. Just this month, there was a horrific incident where a 2-year-old gained access to an unsecured gun and was tragically killed.

It is alarming that 4.6 million children in our country live in homes with loaded and unlocked firearms.

This is Gun Violence Awareness Month, and I am proud to introduce the Safe Storage Saves Lives Act with colleagues like Rosa DeLauro, Max Frost, and Robin Kelly to reduce firearm deaths among our children.

This legislation requires every firearms seller to provide a gun lock or a gun safety device every single time that a firearm is sold in the United States.

Far too often, Mr. Speaker, gun owners fail to properly secure their weapons with tragic consequences leading to accidental deaths, preventable suicides, and on several occasions, school shootings and other mass violence.

These deaths are preventable through proper gun storage and safety. When used correctly, a gun lock or secure gun storage or safety device makes it impossible for the gun to be fired.

Gun locks, Mr. Speaker, like this one, have already saved countless lives, and requiring their use is key to combating America's gun violence crisis.

This bill does work in tandem with Representative DeLauro's Ethan's Law, which mandates safe storage, requiring gun owners to secure their firearms in their home.

However, this crisis must be tackled with even more urgency because our children's lives depend on it.

Madam Speaker, this gun lock was $10 and $10 could save the life of a child.

These gun locks are a commonsense solution that every Member of this body should support. This should not be controversial. Keeping firearms out of the hands of our children should not be a partisan issue.

I will not stop fighting until Congress finally takes action to end the gun violence epidemic in our country. We must honor the lives of those killed with action.

Our communities deserve better, Mr. Speaker. Our families deserve better, and our kids deserve so much more than prayers. Honoring Sergio Martinez

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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise to uplift one of my LGBTQ+ neighbors. His name is Sergio Martinez.

During this Pride Month, I recognize Sergio's activism and leadership in the immigrant rights movement in Detroit.

Sergio is an inspiring DACA recipient. He came here at 5 years old, but that didn't stop him from giving back to the community.

He grew up proudly in southwest Detroit and serves on the board of Michigan United, leading the Detroit Immigrants Rights Organizing Committee. He is a passionate advocate for legal protection of our undocumented neighbors and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers and essential workers.

Sergio also believes that housing is a human right and was recently appointed to the new statewide housing advisory board by Governor Whitmer.

This Pride Month, join me in honoring Sergio Martinez, a trailblazing LGBTQ+ leader in our community. We thank him for his commitment in advancing equality and justice in Detroit and across Michigan.

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