Stop Gun Violence

Floor Speech

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as I have before, on behalf of the many families victimized daily by the persistent gun violence in their communities.

As a Nation, we shudder at tragedies like the Newtown shootings. The news coverage of Newtown left a mark on our collective conscience. Yet sadly, every day, equally devastating acts of gun violence occur in urban America, often without the same media coverage.

Since Newtown, over 6,000 Americans have lost their lives to gun violence. Still, Congress has yet to act on commonsense gun reforms that would save lives. Every life lost, regardless of ZIP code, is a tragedy. It's easy to get angry and frustrated over the relentless drumbeat of death in urban America, but instead we need to turn our anger and frustration into action.

In my 3 months in Congress, I've introduced three commonsense gun bills that will help make our communities safer. Though Federal legislation alone cannot solve the gun violence epidemic, it is a strong start and a step in the right direction.

So I urge my colleagues to cosponsor these bills and take a stand with me against gun violence.

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