Losing a Generation to Gun Violence

Floor Speech

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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am tired. I am tired of, once
again, being asked to rise to honor the victims of gun violence.

Not even a month ago, I stood at this very podium on behalf of gun
violence victims. With nearly 300 mass shootings in less than 300 days,
this Congress has proven that there is no appetite to end gun violence.

I am tired because we will have more moments of silence in honor of
gun victims, and then we will have moments of action from leaders
working to stop gun violence.

To my colleagues who came here on the platform of caring about
children, to my colleagues who came here for peace, to my friends on
the left and right of the aisle, can't we own up to our responsibility
to stop this violence? Can't we own the fact that we are losing a
generation of Americans to gun violence?

Every year, over 100,000 people are shot in America, more than 30,000
of them fatally. This is a crisis that demands more than a moment of
silence from Congress.

With every mass shooting, we hear every excuse in the book for
inaction: it is a family problem; it is a mental health issue; it is a
people problem. Apparently, it is everything but a gun problem. At this
point, even our excuses are tired.

Let me share some headlines from my hometown this week:
From Sunday's Chicago Tribune, ``Man Killed, 4 Injured in
Shootings'';

Monday, CBS Chicago, ``One Dead, 11 Wounded in Weekend Shootings
Across Chicago'';
Tuesday, Chicago Sun Times, ``Man and Woman Shot Near Douglas Park on
West Side'';
Wednesday, Chicago Tribune, ``One Dead, Eight Wounded in Shootings in
Chicago.''
These aren't just headlines. They are deferred dreams and altered
realities for countless families. This isn't a Chicago problem, a
Newtown problem, or an Oregon problem; it is an American problem.

Today, gun deaths are on pace to be the leading cause of death for
Americans aged 15 through 24, not because our kids are leaving the home
front for war, but because the home front is becoming a war zone. It is
because military-style weapons are flooding our streets. It is because
Hadiya Pendleton was in the wrong place at the wrong time, even though
she had the right to be in the park. It is because Reverend Pinckney
held Bible study, and a journalist and cameraman in Virginia woke up
and did their job. It is because a couple of teens wanted to see an Amy
Schumer movie.

We have had no votes on legislation to stop this. Mr. Speaker, for
all the talk about needing to improve our mental health system, we have
yet to take a single vote on a comprehensive mental health bill.
I have had multiple bills that will reduce gun violence; but the
simplest one, H.R. 224, will require the Surgeon General to submit to
Congress a report on the public health impact of gun violence.

Simple, right? After all, we can't have a conversation about gun
violence without data on the death and disability it causes, its mental
health effects, its community impact, and its economic costs. Mr.
Speaker, this Congress has no appetite for conversations about gun
violence. After all, there are A ratings to protect.

The American people are tired, tired of their representatives paying
lipservice to tragedies they were elected to help prevent. They are
tired of their peace of mind being held hostage by those we should be
preventing from ever getting their hands on a gun in the first place.

I am calling everyone out here today. You have talked the talk; it is
time to walk the walk. You say that you want to save lives, then do it.
Where is the background check legislation that 90 percent of
Americans support, including NRA members?

Bring my bill, H.R. 224, up for a vote, and let the Surgeon General
see if gun violence is a threat to public health, which I know it is.
Show that you care. Stop pivoting. Stop punting. Start leading.

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