Gun Violence

Floor Speech

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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, Mr. Evans, for yielding and for his leadership. I associate myself with the words of my colleagues who have already spoken.

Mr. Speaker, I never tire in my call to end senseless gun violence. But I am emboldened this evening by the grassroots movement we have seen from the brave and bright students that survived the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which took the lives of 17 of their classmates and teachers. These brave students remind me of the determined young people I have come to know in the Chicago area who have been calling for change.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my Republican colleagues: Do you remember the terror you felt this past summer on the baseball diamond when you were senselessly attacked with a rifle? Do you remember the terror you felt as grown men?

Now imagine being a teenager, without the protection of trained Capitol Police officers at your side, being senselessly attacked with an AR-15.

Imagine being raised in a world where fear of being shot at school, on your block, or in a park was a daily reality.

Countless daily shootings that do not make the news certainly don't spur you to act. Losing 20 elementary school students didn't spur you to act. A colleague suffering a severe brain injury didn't spur you to act. You, yourselves, being the targets hasn't even spurred you to act.

In the aftermath of Parkland, our children have made one thing abundantly clear: If you do not act to end this senseless violence, America will replace you with bold leaders who will.

The solutions are simple: mandatory background checks on all gun sales, including purchases online and at gun shows, and tightening the background check system; closing the loopholes; removing weapons of war from our streets; implementing gun violence protective orders; allowing scientists to study this issue for what it is, a public health crisis; and investing in programs that provide young people with hope so they put down guns and pick up pens, pencils, books and job skills; when appropriate, access to mental health. You cut the budget to mental health, yet you blame mental health as the reason these things are happening.

None of these proposals are new. In my first term in Congress, I issued the Kelly Report, studying this issue, with each of these recommendations. I will gladly provide every Member of this House a copy.

The solutions and the choice are clear.

Will you stand up to the NRA? Will you even read my report?

Our children are demanding it.

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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I couldn't be in this job if I wasn't an optimist, believe me. I think people hear me. It is whether they are willing to act.

There are bipartisan bills ready to go; bipartisan bills. Some bills are sponsored by Republicans, some by Democrats. They have a lot of cosponsors, but the leadership has to hear; the leadership has to want to do something. Actually, the leadership on both sides has been very, very silent, unfortunately. But I am hoping that the pressure will continue to be put on by everybody across this United States.

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