[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 148 (Thursday, October 8, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H6897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  LOSING A GENERATION TO GUN VIOLENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for 5 minutes.
  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.

                          ____________________