Impact of Gun Violence in America

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague from Illinois, Representative Jackson, for his incredible leadership in governing this Special Order hour.

This June, we had the anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. I proudly voted for this bill because the gun violence epidemic affects all of us daily in our country. There is still so much work to be done--365 days later--as we have seen an extreme increase in mass shootings this summer.

Our friends, our neighbors, and loved ones are living in fear every day as they go to shopping malls, movies theaters, schools, grocery stores, concerts, and yes, even places of worship.

I can go on and on but as of today, the Gun Violence Archive reports that the United States has experienced some 400 shootings already. That is just this year alone. Countless lives lost, communities devastated and families that will never be the same.

Where does it stop? We all have to take a deep, deep inventory of ourselves and ask the question: Where does it stop?

To be clear, none of the actions that we suggest, promote or introduce are efforts to diminish the value of your constitutional rights.

To challenge the Second Amendment is not our effort. We recognize and support the importance of the Second Amendment. But we also recognize the importance of making sure that we have safe communities; communities that are safe for all people, not just Democrats, safe for Republicans, Democrats, Independents and others, for people of all races, backgrounds, creeds, religions, beliefs, for everyone.

This is an American issue. This is an issue that affects our communities and, I dare say, and I dare pray, that if this has not touched your community yet, that it doesn't. Unfortunately, if statistics bear true, it is a matter of time before it reaches, yes, your community, your neighborhood, your church, your school, your child.

We have the power to change that. Collectively, Republican and Democrat, we have the power to change that. We have the power to say no more. We have the power to stand against the profits from the National Rifle Association and say: Continue to manufacture legal weapons, but make sure that we have sensible gun measures.

Continue to profit from the paraphernalia that comes with it, but let's make sure that we have sensible gun measures to protect our communities.

Yes, we have the power. It is within us. Let us not wait until we find ourselves leaning over a coffin crying because we have lost someone. Let the lives that have already been lost be the last, so there are no more mothers like my dear friend, Lucy McBath; so there are no more sons like my dear friend, Steven Horsford; like the so many others that are out there, parents, loved ones, siblings, friends, fathers, mothers that have lost their loved ones to senseless gun violence.

Let us, together, demonstrate to the American people that we are bigger, we are better, we are smarter, and we are stronger, and we will make a difference. We should not have to live like this.

I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to come to the table, come to the table, putting aside our partisan politics. Come to the table with the understanding that we care. Come to the table with the understanding that we can, that we can make a difference for all of us.

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