[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H267-H275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add 
any extraneous material relevant to the subject matter of this 
discussion.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege for me to 
rise today and to co-anchor, along with my distinguished colleague from 
the great State of Ohio, Representative Joyce Beatty, this CBC Special 
Order hour, this hour of power.
  Once again, we are privileged to take to the floor of the people's 
House to discuss an issue that should be relevant to every Member of 
this institution on behalf of the 320 million-plus Americans that we 
represent in this great country, and that is the gun violence epidemic.
  America has 5 percent of the world's population, but 50 percent of 
the world's guns. It is estimated that there are more than 300 million 
guns in circulation throughout this country. So it seems to me 
reasonable that we would do everything possible to ensure that not a 
single one of those guns finds themselves in the hands of individuals 
who would do us harm. And that in many ways is what President Obama has 
done as it relates to his most recent executive action.
  So today members of the Congressional Black Caucus will come to the 
House floor to discuss those executive actions, discuss the issue of 
gun violence, discuss the steps that we should be taking, here in this 
Chamber, in order to keep the people of America that we all 
collectively represent safe.
  It is now my honor and my privilege to yield to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), my classmate and my co-anchor for this CBC Special 
Order hour. I look forward to anchoring with her throughout the entire 
year. She has been a tremendous champion for working families, for the 
middle class, for small-business owners and, of course, for the young 
people who are ravaged in our communities all across this country by 
gun violence.
  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening proud to stand with my 
Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour co-anchor, Congressman 
Jeffries, from the Eighth Congressional District of New York.

  Mr. Jeffries, it is my honor to stand here today as we undertake an 
urgent dialogue on how we, as elected Representatives of the people, 
can work together to end gun violence.
  I look forward to engaging with Congressman Jeffries and our 
Congressional Black Caucus colleagues in scholarly debate on the issues 
plaguing African Americans, African American communities, and to 
develop solutions to the problems our constituents face.
  As the conscience of the Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus 
will remain on the forefront of issues that affect Black Americans in 
particular, and the Nation, in general. For tonight, our anchor, 
Congressman Jeffries, has pointed out the CBC will continue to shed 
light on the epidemic of gun violence, standing our ground, ending gun 
violence in America.
  Mr. Speaker, last week we opened the Second Session of the 114th 
Congress. Four hundred thirty-five of us traveled back to Washington 
ready to serve our constituents and work for the betterment of our 
Nation.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, whatever spirit of bipartisanship may 
have been present at the end of 2015 as Republicans and Democrats 
worked together on key pieces of legislation has disappeared at the 
precise time our Nation is calling on Congress to pass commonsense 
legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
  We find ourselves confronted with startling statistics that no Nation 
should endure. Let me just take a moment to share just a few.
  We know that the impact of gun violence affects every community and 
every congressional district. However, African American children and 
teens are 17 times more likely to die from gun homicide than White 
youth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  While African Americans make up 15 percent of youth in America, 
African Americans accounted for 45 percent of children and teen gun 
deaths in 2010.
  According to Everytown for Gun Safety, 88 Americans die every day 
from gun violence, Mr. Speaker. Roughly 50 percent of those killed are 
African American men, who comprise just 6 percent of the population. 
Homicide is the primary cause of death among African Americans ages 15-
24.
  Mr. Speaker, these numbers should be unthinkable, unimaginable, but 
they are the unfortunate reality in which African American communities 
live. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, whose legacy we honor 
next Monday, he said: We find ourselves ``confronted with the fierce 
urgency of now.'' And Mr. Speaker, it is now that our Nation is in an 
urgent crisis, yet we are trapped in congressional inaction. Shameful.
  So our President decided he would not stand by idly while Congress 
did nothing to prevent another Newtown, another Charleston, other 
Tucson. With tears in his eyes, he reflected on the senseless killings 
caused by gun violence over the course of his administration. President 
Obama announced new executive actions to confront the epidemic of gun 
violence in America.
  While mocked by some Republicans for showing emotion at the loss of 
so many lives, I am here to say I proudly stand with my President on 
the actions he has taken to prevent gun violence in America.
  These executive actions will save lives and make the country safer 
without infringing on law-abiding individuals' rights to firearms.
  You will hear from our colleagues tonight talking about the 
President's actions. I look forward to continuing to work with my 
colleagues and to address gun violence.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Thank you, Representative Beatty, for laying out the 
case in such an eloquent and compelling fashion, and pointing out that, 
with respect to gun safety and gun violence prevention in America, it 
is long past time when we act with the fierce urgency of now.
  Tens of thousands of Americans have died as a result of gun violence 
since the moment you and I first set foot in this institution, and not 
a single thing has been done by the House of Representatives to prevent 
those deaths. That is shameful, as you have pointed out, and we need a 
change of course.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia 
(Mr. Scott), the ranking member, lead Democrat on the House Education 
and the Workforce Committee, once, of course, chaired by the legendary 
Adam Clayton Powell, and Representative Scott has continued in that 
tremendous visionary tradition.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from New York and the gentlewoman from Ohio for organizing tonight's 
Special Order to focus on the toll that gun violence has taken on 
communities across America and, especially, the disproportionate impact 
it has had within communities of color.
  Tonight's conversation comes at an important time. On average, every 
day more than 30 people are killed by firearms, many in mass murders.
  Now, rather than do what they say is celebrate the problem, I want to 
talk about solutions. Last Tuesday, the President announced the 
executive actions that his administration will take

[[Page H268]]

to prevent gun violence. I commend the President for taking this 
action, in light of the current congressional leadership's refusal to 
responsibly address this epidemic.
  These executive actions will ensure stronger enforcement of current 
laws and will reduce the number of lives lost to gun violence. To begin 
with, the President's executive actions will narrow the ``gun show'' 
and Internet loopholes by actually enforcing licensing requirements for 
gun dealers and overhauling the background check system to make it more 
effective and efficient.
  Under current law, only licensed gun dealers are required to perform 
criminal background checks for all gun sales, and only those 
individuals deemed to be ``engaged in the business'' of dealing in guns 
are required to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives, the ATF.
  The executive actions make it clear that the commonsense proposition 
that anyone making a profit from the sale of guns, or who regularly 
makes gun sales or earns a livelihood from gun sales, is, in fact, 
engaged in the business and therefore must obtain a license and conduct 
required criminal background checks, even if those sales occur at gun 
shows or over the Internet.

                              {time}  2030

  The question of whether someone is engaged in business will be 
determined by normal legal standards as opposed to people just 
declaring themselves to be exempt, which is going on now. Some of these 
people are even making a living selling firearms. They need to get a 
license. This is the present law, and the President has said that he 
will enforce it.
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation, as part of executive actions, 
will overhaul its National Instant Criminal Background Check System, 
the NICS system, to make it more effective and efficient by hiring more 
than 230 additional examiners and other staff so that the Bureau can 
process background checks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and improve 
its notification of local authorities when prohibited persons 
unlawfully attempt to purchase a gun.
  These people are currently breaking the law when they illegally try 
to buy a firearm, and local law enforcement officials need to be 
informed. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, this system 
has already caught more than 2 million people trying to buy guns 
illegally, and they need to be held accountable for breaking the law.
  Furthermore, dealers will also be required to notify law enforcement 
if their guns are lost or stolen in transit. This transparency and 
accountability will ensure that law enforcement will be notified and 
can begin investigations when these losses occur.
  Executive actions will also leverage the buying power of the 
Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the Department of 
Homeland Security to conduct or sponsor research into gun technology. 
When the Federal Government begins buying guns using that kind of 
technology, it will make it more likely that this technology will be 
used. There is technology that makes it impossible for anyone other 
than the true owner to use weapons, and the more purchases the Federal 
Government makes, the more likely it is that technology will actually 
be installed in future weapons.
  The President has also directed the departments to review the 
availability of smart gun technology on a regular basis and to explore 
potential ways to further its use and to encourage research to more 
broadly improve gun safety.
  The President's plan also proposes a new $500 million investment to 
increase access to mental health treatment to ensure that people who 
need help do not fall through the cracks of the mental health system. 
This is in addition to the huge increases in mental health funding 
under the Affordable Care Act. Mental health services are considered 
essential services, and so now virtually all health insurance policies 
include mental health coverage.
  While modest and within the President's executive authority, these 
executive actions will go a long way in keeping guns out of the hands 
of people who never should be able to purchase them in the first place. 
But that is executive action. Congress needs to act so that more can be 
done to actually protect citizens from gun violence.
  The House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force has 
consistently reiterated that Washington has a moral obligation to do 
something to address our Nation's gun violence epidemic. The most 
effective way to address this epidemic is through comprehensive, 
evidence-based policy proposals.
  Our task force has put forth several proposals that will go a long 
way in achieving these goals. These proposals include reinstating and 
strengthening the assault weapon ban, reducing the size of magazines, 
implementing universal background checks, cracking down on illegal gun 
trafficking and straw purchases, improving our mental health system, 
and implementing comprehensive, locally tailored, evidence-based 
violence prevention and intervention programs.
  The gentleman from California, Representative Mike Thompson, is the 
chair of the House Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and 
he has introduced a resolution to establish a select committee of the 
House to study gun violence. That resolution is cosponsored by 
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and 11 cochairs of the task force. The 
proposed select committee would be comprised of six Republicans and six 
Democrats who would study the research and issue a final report and 
recommendations, including legislative proposals, within 60 days of its 
establishment.
  It would study and make recommendations to address many issues, 
including the causes of mass shootings, methods to improve the Federal 
firearms purchaser background check system, connections between access 
to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals, Federal penalties 
for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, loopholes that allow 
some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, linkages between 
firearms and suicide, gun violence's effect on public health, the 
correlation between State gun violence prevention laws and the 
incidence of gun violence, the importance of having reliable, accurate 
information on gun violence and its toll on our Nation, the 
implementation of effective gun violence prevention laws in accordance 
with the Second Amendment to our Constitution, and the rates of gun 
violence in large metropolitan areas.
  Mr. Speaker, by taking a deliberate, research-based approach to gun 
violence, treating it as we would a public health challenge, we can 
significantly reduce the ravages of gun violence.
  The President is limited by his executive authority on what alone he 
can do to address this epidemic. Long-term reforms can only be achieved 
through congressional action. I hope that the leadership of the 
Congress will follow the President's lead and act in a bipartisan basis 
to address this critical issue using public health strategies and 
evidence-based proposals.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York and the 
gentlelady from Ohio for coordinating this Special Order.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Thank you, Representative Scott, for laying out the 
steps that are being taken by the President in such a compelling way in 
explaining why they are items that we should all support as well as 
some of the steps that need to be taken legislatively by this Congress 
in order to deal with the fact that more than 10,000 Americans a year 
die as a result of gun violence-related homicides.

  I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee). 
She is an incredibly eloquent and passionate voice for the voiceless. 
We appreciate her service here in the Congress not just on behalf of 
the district that she represents in northern California, but certainly 
on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I yield now to 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
  Ms. LEE. First, let me thank the gentleman from New York for those 
very kind remarks. But also I want to thank you and Congresswoman 
Beatty for organizing this very important Special Order and for your 
tremendous leadership, Congressman Jeffries and Congresswoman Beatty, 
on ensuring public safety.
  Your leadership, both Congresswoman Beatty and Congressman

[[Page H269]]

Jeffries, has been bold, it has been visionary, not just as the result 
of the very recent tragedies but for many, many years even before both 
of you came to Congress. So it is an honor serving with both of you in 
this body. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak this 
evening.
  Also, I want to just thank Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who is the vice 
chair on the Gun Violence Task Force. She also chairs the CBC's Health 
Braintrust.
  I thank you for your tireless work to ensure that gun violence is 
treated as a public health problem, which it is.
  Madam Speaker, I rise this evening with my colleagues in the 
Congressional Black Caucus to call on Congress to do something--to do 
something--about the epidemic of gun violence that is harming our 
communities.
  Since the start of the year--just 11 days ago--nine of my 
constituents have already become victims of gun violence, including an 
elementary school teacher and an innocent mother pushing her child in a 
stroller. Just this weekend alone my community suffered three gun 
homicides. My thoughts are with the victims' family at this very 
terribly difficult time. We have to do something. Enough is enough.
  Congress can and must do more to stop this senseless violence. 
Whether it is Charleston, Oak Creek, Sandy Hook, the streets of Oakland 
or wherever, too many people have already lost their lives, too many 
families have buried loved ones, and too many lives have been changed 
forever because of catastrophic injuries as a result of gun violence.
  Madam Speaker, now is the time for action. Our constituents are 
demanding action. The country is demanding action. I have received 
hundreds of calls and emails from my constituents, and I know other 
Members are also hearing from their constituents. They are calling for 
action as well.
  Earlier today in my own District, Oakland City Council President 
Lynette Gibson McElehany buried her grandson, 17-year-old Torian 
Hughes, who was shot and killed during a robbery just days before 
Christmas. This has been a very difficult period for Council Member 
McElehany and her family. So in addition to our prayers not only for my 
council member's family, but for all of those in our country who have 
been victims of gun violence, we must do something. We must do 
something in all of their memory.
  Let me be clear. Congress can no longer ignore the massive toll that 
this epidemic is having on our constituents, their families, and 
communities. Last week we joined with our colleagues and millions of 
Americans in applauding President Obama's actions to reduce gun 
violence in our Nation. Thanks to the President's leadership, there 
will be more background checks, better enforcement of existing gun 
laws, improved mental health services, and new research on how to end 
this epidemic of gun violence.
  But more action is needed to stop the more than 30,000 gun deaths 
that occur in our Nation each and every year. Congress must pass 
commonsense gun reform, like closing the gun show loophole, bipartisan 
measures that are supported by the vast majority of Americans and gun 
owners. Congress must also fund the expansion of mental health 
services.
  But this should not be an excuse, of course, to do nothing on gun 
safety. We have got to provide the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 
and Explosives the resources it needs to enforce our Nation's gun laws.
  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have fought along with 
my colleagues to get these vital public safety resources in the 
appropriations bills which keep our communities safe. We must also end 
the extreme data restrictions that restrict law enforcement's ability 
to protect public safety and prevent policymakers from addressing gun 
violence as a public health issue.
  That is why I introduced last year H.R. 1449, the Tiahrt Restrictions 
Repeal Act, which would repeal the data restrictions on gun sales and 
background checks. These data restrictions are commonly called the 
Tiahrt restrictions. They prevent data on gun background checks from 
being released to the public.
  These provisions currently impede public safety by requiring the 
National Criminal Background Check System records to be destroyed--mind 
you, destroyed--within 24 hours, prohibiting the ATF from requiring 
licensed dealers to conduct annual inventory checks to detect lost or 
stolen firearms and restricting local and State law enforcement from 
using trace data to fully investigate corrupt dealers and traffickers.
  This is outrageous. We have got to restrict and repeal these Tiahrt 
amendments right away. It will help tackle the bad apple gun dealers 
who provide dangerous weapons to criminals. It is estimated that just 5 
percent of sellers supply the weapons used in nearly 90 percent of gun 
crimes. The Tiahrt restrictions block access to vital data that 
lawmakers, law enforcement, and Federal agencies need to tackle gun 
violence in our community.
  Of course, many of us are proud to support Congresswoman Kelly's 
bill, which would allow the Surgeon General to study gun violence as a 
public health issue and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to 
regulate firearms.

  Madam Speaker, the time for action is now. Let's start listening to 
the American people and insist that Congress do something. It is really 
disingenuous to criticize the President for issuing commonsense gun 
safety measures when we have been trying for years in this body--for 
years--to get these sensible bills passed. The Speaker should allow 
these and many other bills to come to the floor so that Congress can 
act. No more excuses.
  We should support Congressman Thompson's proposal to establish the 
select committee on gun violence. The Speaker should do this now. So we 
can't continue to really allow the misinformation to get out about 
Congress. We need to do our job. We have been trying, many of us, the 
Congressional Black Caucus and others, especially Democrats, for many 
years to try to get the Speaker to bring these bills to the floor.
  So what did the President do? He had to do something. But no more 
excuses. Congress needs to act. So I thank Congresswoman Beatty and 
Congressman Jeffries for this very important Special Order hour and for 
your tremendous leadership.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Again, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from 
California for her wonderful remarks, observations, and, of course, her 
support for the President's executive actions on gun safety, making it 
clear that the President was left with no choice but to act.
  Tens of thousands of Americans die each and every year either as it 
relates to homicide or suicide through a firearm, and nothing was 
happening here in the United States Congress. The classic definition of 
legislative insanity is to do the same exact thing, which in this 
instance is nothing, and expect that things were going to change for 
the safety and the well-being of the American people. That is why we 
are here on the floor today expressing strong support for the 
President's executive actions and pushing this institution to do more 
and finish the job that the President of the United States of America 
started.

                              {time}  2045

  It is now my honor and privilege to yield to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Houston (Ms. Jackson Lee), a forceful advocate and the 
lead Democrat on the relevant committee on the House Judiciary side of 
the equation as it relates to criminal justice, reform, and gun safety. 
She, of course, has been a tremendous champion for the people that she 
serves down in H-Town, as well as across the country.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Let me thank the gentleman from New York for 
yielding.
  As has been stated by my colleagues, I want to add my applause as 
well for the thoughtfulness of the gentleman's leadership on a number 
of issues, but certainly on his pronounced leadership on criminal 
justice reform and on the Judiciary Committee; and then to be joined by 
former leader of the Ohio State Legislature--and she has not forgotten 
her talents of leadership--and that is Congresswoman Joyce Beatty who 
joins us, if I might put words in both your mouths, with a sense of 
outrage about where we are today. I say that because I would like to 
stand here

[[Page H270]]

with an enormous amount of outrage for where we are and why we are 
here.
  I want to add my appreciation to the Congressional Black Caucus, the 
chairman, Mr. Butterfield, and, of course, Congresswoman Dr. Kelly, who 
has been a great leader on the issues dealing with health care. I just 
want to cite to her, a lady that came to this Congress more than a 
decade ago, Deborah Prothrow-Stith. You may have read her writings. She 
pronounced during that time that gun violence was a health crisis. That 
was so many years ago. Unfortunately, with all of her expert writings, 
we still couldn't get movement.
  I am going to take a slightly different perspective. If I could just 
take these few moments to give you an anecdotal story, which many of 
you might find absolutely with a great deal of shock, if you will. That 
is the limit to which gun rights advocates mislead the American people 
on any ideas for gun safety or gun regulation as taking guns away.
  I was in a meeting where someone was trying to understand why 
President Obama in his excellent presentation about securing America 
and protecting our children from gun violence was being associated with 
the idea of taking over 345 million guns. This is what is represented 
to be President Obama's message. He will confiscate, through his 
process of gun testing or making sure that there are background checks 
for everyone, that he wants to confiscate 345 million guns, which has 
been determined to be located in 65 million places here in the United 
States.
  Can I, in a public forum on this august floor of the House, say that 
we, as Members of Congress--and I think Republicans will admit this--
have no evidence, no documentation, that the White House intends to 
confiscate guns--no manner of level of increased ATF officers could 
ever do that--why this mischaracterization is here.
  But listen to this. Gun rights advocates have made a lot of claims 
over the years that the Second Amendment they interpret means that they 
can buy any gun they want and take it pretty much anywhere. Well, 
basically, that does exist, except for the basic constraint of 
background checks, which now the President has expanded to ensure that 
if you are in a gun show--this is a gun show loophole--and you are 
sitting next to the stall of a licensed gun person and you are in the 
business of selling guns, why shouldn't you be either licensed or 
require, basically, background checks?
  But listen to this. In an ongoing legal battle in Florida, they lay 
claim to a newfangled Second Amendment right: the right not to have 
anyone talk to gun owners about their guns. Specifically, gun advocates 
don't want doctors discussing guns or the potential harms that guns may 
cause with their patients.
  While mere talk about guns might seem to have nothing to do with the 
right to keep or bear arms, the advocates contend that the Constitution 
is on their side. Last month, for the third time in the same suit, a 
Federal court of appeals agreed. This is very bizarre. The case is 
filed under the name of Wollschlaeger v. Governor of the State of 
Florida, although First and Second Amendment buffs may recognize it 
under the cutesy nickname Docs v. Glocks.
  It started when some gun owners and the National Rifle Association 
told Florida legislators that their doctors were harassing them by 
asking about gun safety--by asking about gun safety. The legislators 
responded by passing a law that bars healthcare workers from discussing 
or recording anything about their patients' gun ownership or safety 
practices that could be deemed in bad faith, irrelevant, or harassing.
  Twelve other States are thinking about it, and now we have the 
Privacy of Firearm Owners Act. This is in the face of a number of 
homicides in this country. Let me cite to my colleagues that America is 
the number one country out of Western nations that has the highest 
number of cases of homicide by firearm per 100,000. The closest that 
comes to them is 0.7 by Italy. Then Taiwan, Canada, and Spain, 0.2; 
Germany, 0.2.
  All the news stories that we see on violent disruptions in various 
places and protests, their numbers of gun violence, of homicides, is 
miniscule: Australia, 0.1; UK, 0.1; France, 0.1; South Korea, 0.03; and 
finally Japan, 0.01. If that doesn't get our attention, I don't know 
what does.
  Then look at this map; 353 mass shootings in America in 2015. My 
colleague can see, is this anything to be proud of? Mass shootings not 
by knives, not by throwing stones, but by guns. This is what America is 
to the world: a sea of red of mass shootings, so much so that you can't 
even see background in some of the parts of this Nation. Yet there are 
laws that are being passed to stop health professionals from asking 
whether you have guns that might, in fact, endanger your children or 
yourselves.
  On average, more than 100,000 people in the United States are shot in 
murders, assaults, and other crimes. More than 32,000 people die from 
gun violence, including 2,677 children under the age of 18. Gun 
deaths, justified versus criminal: studies also found that for every 1 
justified homicide in the United States involving a gun, guns were used 
in 44 criminal homicides. In all of our communities, we see young Black 
men being felled by gun violence, young people in our communities being 
felled by gun violence, or innocent storekeepers being felled by gun 
violence, or in the instance of the Philadelphia police officer.

  All of us respect the dangers of law enforcement, recognizing that we 
can work together by building prepared and trained law enforcement 
officers to avoid the violence with guns. But in the instance of this 
individual, who point-blank shot at an officer with a gun, who has now 
been determined possibly to have heard voices, though he said he was 
inspired by ISIS, again, someone wanted to suggest that it wasn't 
anything that Obama could have done. It was a stolen police gun and it 
is out on the streets. Obviously, we don't have enough people enforcing 
against the trafficking of stolen guns.
  Mass shootings. The U.S. has a far higher number of mass shootings 
than any others I have indicated.
  Mental health. Approximately one in four American adults have a 
mental illness. Every time we hear of these mass shootings, the defense 
comes, which they have a right, to talk about this person's severe 
criminal mental illness condition.
  Guns in suicide is the leading cause of related deaths in America. 
More than 60 percent of deaths by guns in the country are the result of 
individuals using these weapons intending to commit suicide--not 
knives, not stones, not even poison or an overdose on drugs--guns. Guns 
and domestic violence provide a deadly outcome.
  Law enforcement killed by guns: each year hundreds of law enforcement 
officers lose their lives in gun violence having been shot to death 
while protecting their communities. Of course, we know that we have 
experienced tragic incidences under the authority of law where people 
have been killed, and the community is over the top in frustration.
  Background checks save lives. The tragedy at Mother Emanuel is the 
individual went to buy guns and the store owner said it is taking too 
long.
  I support President Obama's very astute and thoughtful approach. Out 
of that, I am very glad to have introduced two initiatives. One, H.R. 
4315, Mental Health Access and Gun Violence Prevention Act, which is a 
capture of President Obama's, along with Karen Bass. I urge my 
colleagues to sign on to H.R. 4315, which authorizes $500 million for 
health treatment access and to assist in the reporting of relevant 
disqualifying mental health information to the FBI background check 
system, NICS--not to violate the privacy, but to give more information 
to the database, because that certainly would be part of saving lives.
  As I conclude, H.R. 4316, that I am pleased to have Congresswoman 
Kelly join me in this, the Gun Violence Reduction Resources Act, 
authorizes the hiring of 200 additional ATF agents, the very point of 
which my Republican friends are saying, but yet they are condemning 
what the President has offered.
  I would say to my colleagues in closing, if we don't do this for any 
other reason, to take and codify the President's initiatives on NICS or 
data collection, on research regarding safer guns, on background checks 
or closing the gun show loophole, if we don't do it, we should do it 
for the children.

[[Page H271]]

From December 2012 to December 2013, at least 100 children were killed 
in unintentional shootings, almost two every week, 61 percent higher 
than Federal data reflect. About two-thirds of these unintended deaths, 
at 65 percent, took place in the home or vehicle that belonged to the 
victim's family, most often with the guns that were legally owned but 
not secured.
  I remind you of that Supreme Court challenge or that law in Florida 
where doctors can't secure information to protect the patients or the 
children of these families. More than two-thirds of these tragedies 
could be avoided if gun owners stored their guns responsibly and 
prevented children from accessing them.
  I have introduced legislation on gun storage--I call it safety and 
responsibility--but yet, unfortunately, it is perceived as attacking 
the Second Amendment.
  My good friend from New York (Mr. Jeffries), let me thank you for 
yielding. Allow me to just leave us with the point that, as the 
Congressional Black Caucus stands on the floor, we need partners in 
doing the right thing. I hope before the President leaves office, he 
will have the opportunity to reasonably and rationally sign bills that 
will save lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues of the Congressional 
Black Caucus, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Congresswoman 
Joyce Beatty (D-OH) who are anchoring this Special Order on Ending Gun 
Violence in America.
  Gun violence in America can no longer be swept under the rug, ignored 
or irrationally justified.
  We are in a state of national crisis and it is time to act.
  Upon taking office, every Member of Congress makes a solemn pledge: 
to protect and defend the American people.
  This is the most important oath we take as elected officials--and, to 
honor this promise, we must do everything in our power to stem gun 
violence in our nation.
  Yet, after another mass shooting and countless acts of gun violence 
in communities across our country every day, House Republicans are 
still unwilling to act to stop gun violence and save lives in American 
communities.
  The Democrats have been calling for an immediate vote on the 
bipartisan King-Thompson Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights 
Protection Act to strengthen the life-saving background checks that 
keep guns out of the wrong hands.
  This Congress has a moral obligation to do our part to end the gun 
violence epidemic.
  Now is the time for Republicans to join Democrats in protecting the 
lives of Americans by taking common sense steps to save lives.
  The Administration has announced two new executive actions that will 
help strengthen the federal background check system and keep guns out 
of the wrong hands.
  I have introduced two bills that will hopefully enhance these 
executive actions and support the President's recently announced action 
on gun violence.
  H.R. 4315--Mental Health Access and Gun Violence Prevention Act--
authorizes $500 million for mental health treatment access and to 
assist in the reporting of relevant disqualifying mental health 
information to the FBI's background check system NICS.
  H.R. 4316--Gun Violence Reduction Resources Act--authorizes the 
hiring of 200 additional ATF agents and investigators for enforcement 
of existing gun laws. The President included these specific requests in 
yesterday's announcements and these bills respond to those requests.
  Additionally, the Department of justice (DOJ) is proposing a 
regulation to clarify who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under 
federal law for reasons related to mental health.
  And the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a 
proposed regulation to address barriers preventing states from 
submitting limited information on those persons to the federal 
background check system.
  Ending gun violence in America requires a comprehensive approach--we 
must come together and work towards this common goal.
  Too many Americans have been severely injured or lost their lives as 
a result of gun violence.
  While the vast majority of Americans who experience a mental illness 
are not violent.
  However, in some cases when persons with a mental illness does not 
receive the treatment they need, the result can be tragedies such as 
homicide or suicide.
  We must continue to address mental health issues by:
  Supporting expanded coverage of mental health services and enhanced 
training and hiring of mental health professionals; and
  Continuing the national conversation on mental health to reduce 
stigma associated with having a mental illness and getting help; and
  We must also continue to do everything we can to making sure that 
anyone who may pose a danger to themselves or others does not have 
access to a gun.
  The federal background check system is one of the most effective ways 
of assuring that such individuals are not able to purchase a firearm 
from a licensed gun dealer.
  To date, background checks have prevented over two million guns from 
falling into the wrong hands.
  The Administration's two new executive actions will help ensure that 
better and more reliable information makes its way into the background 
check system.
  The Administration, however, has acknowledged the need for collective 
action and continues to call upon Members of Congress to pass common-
sense gun safety legislation and to expand funding to increase access 
to mental health services.
  I too call upon my colleagues to come together and pass legislation 
that will help stop the loss of innocent lives.
  While we have made some progress in strengthening the National 
Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which is used to run 
background checks on those who buy guns from federally licensed gun 
dealers to make sure they are not prohibited by law from owning a 
firearm, we must do more.
  I am a strong supporter of a right of privacy and I am particularly 
sensitive and protective of patient privacy rights.
  I support the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 
that was passed by Congress in 1996, and includes privacy protection 
for medical records, which includes mental healthcare information.
  However, there are specific areas under federal law that allow the 
disclosure of medical information to authorities, and in these 
instances there should be an agreement that when a person poses a 
threat to themselves or others (as determined by a court or 
adjudicative authority with the medical and legal knowledge and 
authority to make a determination that a person poses a threat to 
themselves or to others) should not be allowed to purchase a fire arm.
  Technology that could be deployed to access court records and arrest 
records as they relate to mental health and violent behavior should not 
rely upon a list that may become out dated or could be used in ways 
that are not consistent with the intent of enhancing gun safety.
  The ability to access information that is accurate and available for 
the limited purpose of affirming or rejecting a request to purchase a 
firearm without indicating the source of the decision or the reason for 
the rejection would still protect privacy rights while also protecting 
the public.
  The president's proposal on mental health and gun violence is to 
enforce the laws already in place.
  Under a federal law enacted in 1968, an individual is prohibited from 
buying or possessing firearms for life if he/she has been ``adjudicated 
as a mental defective'' or ``committed to a mental institution.''
  A person is ``adjudicated as a mental defective'' if a court--or 
other entity having legal authority to make adjudications--has made a 
determination that an individual, as a result of mental illness: 1) Is 
a danger to himself or to others; 2) Lacks the mental capacity to 
contract or manage his own affairs; 3) Is found insane by a court in a 
criminal case, or incompetent to stand trial, or not guilty by reason 
of lack of mental responsibility pursuant to the Uniform Code of 
Military Justice.
  A person is ``committed to a mental institution'' if that person has 
been involuntarily committed to a mental institution by a court or 
other lawful authority. This expressly excludes voluntary commitment.
  It should be noted, however, that federal law currently allows states 
to establish procedures for mentally ill individuals to restore their 
right to possess and purchase firearms (many states have done so at the 
behest of the National Rifle Association, with questionable results).
  It is undoubtedly true that people who are a danger to self and/or 
others because of mental illness should be prohibited from owning 
firearms.
  It is less clear, however, how to tailor new policies to better 
protect the American public while at the same time avoiding the 
stigmatization of Americans with mental illness.
  Any strategy to address the lethal intersection between guns and 
mental illness should focus on the key facts:
  On average, more than 100,000 people in America are shot in murders, 
assaults, and other crimes.
  More than 32,000 people die from gun violence annually, including 
2,677 children under the age of eighteen years old.
  Suicide is the leading cause of gun related deaths in America.
  60 percent of deaths by guns in America are the result of individuals 
using these weapons as a means to commit suicide.

[[Page H272]]

  Some of these deaths might have been prevented if there were adequate 
background checks.
  Each year hundreds of law enforcement officers lose their lives to 
gun violence been shot to death protecting their communities.
  Millions of guns are sold every year in ``no questions asked'' 
transactions and experts estimate that 40 percent of guns now sold in 
America are done so without a background check.
  National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) was created 
in 1998 to require potential gun buyers to pass an instant screening at 
the point of purchase.
  Ensures that purchasers are not felons, domestic abusers, mentally 
ill, etc.
  NICS has blocked sales to more than 2 million prohibited people.
  NICS stops 170 felons and 53 domestic abusers from purchasing guns 
every day.
  The most serious issue facing NICS is the ``private sale loophole''.
  This allows anyone who is not a federally-licensed dealer to sell 
guns without a background check.
  An estimated 40% of gun transfers--6.6 million transfers--are 
conducted without a background check.
  Armslist.com is the largest online seller of firearms.
  66,000 gun ads are posted by private sellers on a given day, 750,000 
per year.
  Nearly 1/3rd of gun ads on Armslist.com are posted by high-volume 
unlicensed sellers (approx. 4,218 people).
  High-volume sellers posted 29% of the gun ads.
  High-volume sellers posted 36,069 gun ads over 2 months.
  This would equate to around 243,800 guns each year by unlicensed 
sellers.
  50% were familiar with federal laws but decided they didn't apply to 
them.
  1/3rd of ``want-to-buy'' ads are posted by people with a criminal 
record.
  More than 4 times the rate at which prohibited gun buyers try to buy 
guns in stores.
  Approximately 25,000 guns are in illegal hands.

                       [From Slate, Jan. 8, 2016]

         The Absurd Logic Behind Florida's Docs vs. Glocks Law


            The Second Amendment trumps all other amendments

                  (By Dahlia Lithwick and Sonja West)

       Gun-rights advocates have made a lot of claims over the 
     years about the broad scope of their constitutional rights. 
     They say, in effect, that the Second Amendment means they can 
     buy virtually any gun they want and take it pretty much 
     anywhere. But in an ongoing legal battle in Florida, they lay 
     claim to a newfangled Second Amendment right--the right not 
     to have anyone talk to gun owners about their guns. 
     Specifically, gun advocates don't want doctors discussing 
     guns, or the potential harms those guns may cause, with their 
     patients.
       And while mere talk about guns might seem to have nothing 
     to do with the right to keep or bear arms, the advocates 
     contend that the Constitution is on their side. Last month, 
     for the third time in the same suit, a federal court of 
     appeals agreed.
       This very bizarre case is filed under the name of 
     Wollschlaeger v. Governor of the State of Florida, although 
     First and Second amendment buffs may recognize it under the 
     cutesy nickname Docs vs. Glocks. It started when some gun 
     owners (and the National Rifle Association) told Florida 
     legislators that their doctors were harassing them by asking 
     about gun safety.
       The legislators responded by passing a law that bars health 
     care workers from discussing or recording anything about 
     their patients' gun ownership or safety practices that could 
     be deemed in bad faith, irrelevant, or harassing. (Twelve 
     other states have considered enacting similar legislation, 
     but only Florida has actually passed such a law.)
       The result was the Firearms Owners' Privacy Act. The law 
     provides that licensed health care practitioners and 
     facilities: ``may not intentionally enter'' information 
     concerning a patient's ownership of firearms into the 
     patient's medical record that the practitioner knows is ``not 
     relevant to the patient's medical care or safety, or the 
     safety of others,'' and ``shall respect a patient's right to 
     privacy and should refrain'' from inquiring as to whether a 
     patient or their family owns firearms, unless the 
     practitioner or facility believes in good faith that the 
     ``information is relevant to the patient's medical care or 
     safety, or the safety of others.'' Violations of the act 
     could lead to disciplinary action including fines and 
     suspension, or revocation of a medical license. Proponents of 
     such laws say these doctor-patient dialogues violate the 
     patients' Second Amendment rights.

  Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentlewoman for the 
tremendous work you continue to do on the Judiciary Committee. I look 
forward to partnering with you.
  As you point out, the Second Amendment protects the right to bear 
arms. It should not protect the ability of others to utilize weapons, 
often of mass destruction, in doing harm to Americans without a license 
or any legal bases for doing so. All we want is rational gun safety and 
gun violence prevention. I look forward to continuing to work with you 
in that regard.
  It is now my honor and privilege to yield to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly), one of my classmates. She has been a tremendous 
and forceful advocate for gun violence prevention measures, not only as 
the chair of the CBC Health Braintrust, for which she has been tireless 
on so many different issues, but also in her capacity within the House 
Democratic Caucus, as well as a chair of the CBC Gun Violence 
Prevention Task Force, someone who stood up countless times for the 
children in Chicago and the many others who have been dealing with 
unacceptable levels of gun violence.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank my good friends, the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Jeffries) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) for 
this important Special Order hour tonight.
  Congressman Jeffries, you have chaired these Special Order hours for 
the Congressional Black Caucus in my first term, so it is good to see 
you back in the driver's seat with our classmate, Representative 
Beatty.
  Last year, I had the privilege of leading the Special Order hour with 
our colleague, the Honorable Donald Payne of New Jersey. In the course 
of that year, we came to this floor to reflect on gun violence on one 
too many occasions because it is an epidemic in communities across the 
country.
  In fact, we are 11 days into 2016, and there have already been 80 
shootings in my hometown of Chicago. Four people were shot and killed 
in less than 24 hours.
  I applaud President Obama's bold executive action that has been 
talked about tonight. I believe these policies will keep guns out of 
the hands of criminals and dangerous individuals.
  If you listen to some, they will say they are trying to take our 
guns. There is nothing in the executive action that says that. The 
opposition is pushing fear, not fact.
  With over 30 Americans killed by guns every single day inaction is 
not an option.

                              {time}  2100

  In my nearly 3 years in Congress, the majority party has refused to 
do anything on gun violence--not one hearing, not a single vote. To 
right what Congress has, unfortunately, made wrong, President Obama did 
what was necessary to address the threat to our long-term national 
security and economic stability. While we can't stop every criminal 
from committing every crime, we can take actions that will save lives.
  While President Obama's executive actions are crucial steps in 
reducing the senseless gun violence that is plaguing our Nation, they 
do not absolve Congress of its moral responsibility to act. There are 
gaps in existing gun laws that leave us all vulnerable to gun violence. 
These holes are ones that only Congress can plug.
  I have two commonsense bills that will complement President Obama's 
executive actions and that will help bring a reduction in firearm 
mortality.
  The first bill, H.R. 224, the Recognizing Gun Violence as a Public 
Health Emergency Act, would require the Surgeon General to submit an 
annual report to Congress on the public health impact of gun violence. 
The bill currently has 135 cosponsors, and I hope that this commonsense 
proposal can get an up-or-down vote this year.
  Also, I recently introduced H.R. 225, the Firearm Safety Act, which 
would close the loophole which prevents the Consumer Product Safety 
Commission from creating rules regarding the safety of firearms.
  Quite simply, if the Consumer Product Safety Commission can regulate 
teddy bears, bicycle helmets, and car seats, it should be able to 
regulate firearms. Simply improving safety lock quality and improving 
storage safety will reduce accidents, misfires, and will prevent theft, 
saving thousands of lives.
  Senseless gun violence has been plaguing our Nation for far too long. 
It is simply unacceptable in the United States of America that gun 
violence is the leading cause of death for people under 24. It is time 
for us to come together to end the gun violence that is

[[Page H273]]

taking a generation of young Americans.
  I often ask: Just how many and just who has to die before we take 
action?
  I urge my colleagues to attend a funeral to see and to feel the hurt 
and loss. Your standing for moments of silence and then your sitting in 
silence does nothing to deal with this issue. Let's stop the hypocrisy 
and take action and save lives.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank the distinguished gentlewoman, my good friend 
from Illinois, for the very powerful presentation and for her steadfast 
leadership.
  Madam Speaker, one of the reasons we believe that Members of Congress 
need to act is that State laws are so inconsistent from one 
jurisdiction to the other.
  In New York, we experience gun violence in certain communities at 
unprecedented levels notwithstanding the fact that we have tremendously 
significant and robust gun violence prevention measures in place.
  But the overwhelming majority of guns used to commit crimes in the 
Brooklyn communities, represented by me and Yvette Clarke, actually 
come from the neighboring States of Pennsylvania as well as up the I-95 
corridor from States in the Deep South.
  Chicago, as Robin Kelly has indicated, has been experiencing 
unprecedented levels of gun violence. Illinois actually has pretty 
robust gun safety-gun violence prevention laws on the books, but the 
overwhelming majority of guns used to commit crimes in Chicago come 
from the neighboring States of Indiana and Wisconsin, which have lax 
laws.
  Out in south central Los Angeles, the situation has gotten better 
over the last decade or so. California has pretty strong gun safety-gun 
violence prevention laws. The overwhelming majority of guns used to 
commit crimes in south central Los Angeles and in east LA actually come 
from the neighboring State of Arizona. That is why we need Congress to 
act in order to deal with what is a national problem.
  Madam Speaker, it is now my great honor and privilege to yield to my 
good friend and colleague, my sister from the neighboring congressional 
district of mine and who has been such a forceful advocate on behalf of 
the communities that she represents in Brooklyn, the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the Ninth Congressional District of New York, 
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Let me first start by thanking my brother 
from the neighboring district in Brooklyn, New York (Mr. Jeffries), 
alongside my sister from Ohio, Mrs. Joyce Beatty, for their leadership 
in our Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour, discussing gun 
violence and gun safety measures.
  Let me also commend the Honorable Robin Kelly of Illinois for her 
leadership in doing the work that she is doing not only with our Health 
Braintrust, but by being an outspoken and forceful advocate for the end 
to gun violence not only for her district in Chicago, Illinois, but for 
all communities across this Nation.
  Madam Speaker, gun violence in the United States has reached epic 
proportions in the 21st century. The death, the trauma, the devastation 
that we are witnessing can no longer be tolerated. Congress must act 
now.
  Over the past decade in America, more than 100,000 people have been 
killed as a result of gun violence and millions more have been maimed 
by the reckless and unlawful discharging of firearms.
  I applaud President Barack Obama for taking this historic executive 
action to address gun violence in our Nation. These actions will save 
lives and will make America a safer place. The President's actions will 
strengthen lifesaving background checks, improve mental health 
services, and expand smart gun technology.
  We have all that we need in the United States to observe the Second 
Amendment rights of Americans and, at the same time, to take our Nation 
into the 21st century with responsible gun ownership that leaves little 
room for the illegal gun activity that we see taking place in terms of 
gun trafficking, in terms of the use of deadly arms in the hands of 
those who are unlicensed to hold them.
  As it relates to background checks, the proposals focus on new 
background check requirements that will enhance the effectiveness of 
the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the NICS, and 
the greater education and enforcement efforts of existing laws at the 
State level.
  Specifically, it directs the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives to require any business that engages in the sale of guns to 
obtain a Federal license to do so and to conduct background checks.
  It calls for the increased funding for the ATF in the hiring of 200 
new ATF agents and investigators to help enforce existing gun laws, and 
it requires the ATF to issue a rule requiring background checks for the 
purchasers who purchase certain dangerous firearms and other items 
through a trust, a corporation, or other legal entity. It encourages 
greater communication between Federal and State authorities on criminal 
history information.
  What could be wrong with that? That is within the boundary of our 
laws, within our constitutional rights, and it makes our Nation safer.
  I come to this floor today as one who considers herself to be a 
victim of gun violence. We need to confront this right away because, 
for many in our communities, it is not only those who have been 
physically harmed by gun violence, but those who have been traumatized 
by being a witness to gun violence.
  I had the unfortunate privilege, if you will, of being in the Council 
Chambers of the New York City's City Council when my colleague, the 
Honorable James E. Davis, was gunned down before all of his 
colleagues--workplace domestic terrorism.
  That incident has been with me from that day forward. To this day, at 
a moment's notice, I can recall the trauma of that day, what it meant 
to see my colleague's life taken from him and to hear the gunplay that 
took place in the New York City Council's chambers.
  I am not alone. There are millions of Americans who are witnesses to 
gun violence or who may have been maimed by gun violence and who did 
not necessarily die as a result of it, but whose lives have been 
changed dramatically.
  We should not have another generation of Americans who can speak to 
the unspeakable horror of what it is to either be impacted directly in 
the loss of a loved one or to be the families who have to recount the 
times when they have had to be at the hospital with someone who is 
trying to recover from being gunned down.
  It is our obligation, our responsibility, as lawmakers for this 
Nation to get this right for future generations.
  So I applaud President Obama for doing what he could do within the 
parameters of his authority. It is now time for the United States House 
to do its job.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. I thank my good friend and colleague for a very 
powerful presentation and for pointing out the sensibility of 
supporting all of the President's efforts, but particularly as they 
relate to the ATF, which is the Federal agency charged with enforcing 
our Nation's gun laws.
  Two hundred additional agents is the bare minimum that we can hire to 
make sure that the ATF has the manpower and resources necessary to 
prevent the illegal trafficking of guns into places like the 
Brownsville and East Flatbush neighborhoods that Congresswoman Yvette 
Clarke so passionately represents.
  If you block funding for the ATF, what you essentially are doing is 
supporting the efforts of the merchants of death who rely on 
underenforcement by the ATF, because of an absence of resources, in 
order to flood communities like Chicago; south central Los Angeles; 
parts of Brooklyn; Newark, New Jersey; and many other neighborhoods 
with illegal weapons.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to my good friend and colleague, Congressman 
Donald Payne. I thank him as well as R. Kelly. D. Payne and R. Kelly 
made a fantastic combination. We thank them for their distinguished 
service last year in leading the CBC Special Order hour.
  I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. PAYNE. Let me thank the gentleman from New York, who passed the 
baton to R. Kelly and me in 2015. We have rounded the corner and have 
put it back in his capable hands, along with our classmate's, the 
honorable

[[Page H274]]

gentlewoman from the great State of Ohio, Joyce Beatty, who is 
demonstrating day in and day out why she was such a great leader in the 
Ohio legislature. She has brought those talents to bear on the entire 
Nation.
  Madam Speaker, these are very serious times. I want to start out by 
commending the President of the United States, President Obama, in the 
face of insurmountable odds, for not being hampered in wanting to do 
something with this terrible, terrible scourge that we suffer from in 
this Nation.
  Gun violence impacts many different communities in this Nation, some 
more than others, but it impacts us all. I was proud to see the 
President step forward and not be hampered in doing something. If the 
obstructionists on the other side of the aisle want to continue in that 
manner, then let them be, but he was going to do something.
  I also commend my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus for 
uniting with the President in this great effort.
  We understand in our communities what this means. We are trying to 
articulate it to the American people, but we understand it. We live it. 
We feel it. We see it.

                              {time}  2115

  The President's executive actions on gun control are a step in the 
right direction, but it is the responsibility of Congress to pass gun 
reform that makes our communities safer.
  I have joined, along with Robin Kelly, who mentioned two pieces of 
her legislation in terms of gun control--after Sandy Hook several years 
ago, I proposed a piece of legislation that did not really see the 
light of day. Since the President has not given up on this effort, I 
will not either.
  I have a piece of legislation, which is called the Safer 
Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act. It would keep guns out of the hands of 
the wrong people by creating a voluntary Federal gun buyback program. 
Under my bill, State and local governments, as well as gun dealers, 
would distribute smart, prepaid debit cards to gun owners in exchange 
for their firearms.
  My bill incentivizes gun owners to voluntarily get guns off the 
streets. This will make our communities safer for our children, family, 
and our businesses. Commonsense proposals like my bill are critical to 
ending our Nation's epidemic of gun violence. This epidemic impacts 
every community in America, including in my district.
  Last year in the city of Newark shootings increased 19 percent from 
2014 and homicides rose by 8 percent. In 2015, there were at least 76 
gun deaths in my district. One-third of all of the gun deaths in New 
Jersey last year happened in my district.
  Gun violence has had a disproportionate impact within the African 
American community and other urban areas. That is clear when you look 
at what is happening in my district and throughout other African 
American communities in New Jersey.
  We need a Federal approach to gun violence because it is a problem 
across State lines. Case in point, New Jersey is a net importer of 
crime guns. In other words, more illegal weapons confiscated by law 
enforcement came from out of the State than there were purchased from 
in the State.
  Reducing gun violence is vital to the safety and security of American 
communities. My colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle should 
drop the politics and pandering. They should instead join with 
Democrats in supporting the President and his commonsense reforms and, 
like my gun buyback program, to address gun tragedies in all 
communities.
  Let me just say, Madam Speaker, no one wants to take guns away from 
anyone. We understand the laws and liberties that have made this Nation 
great. If we don't do something in reference to gun control, then it is 
shame on us.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. I yield to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. 
Plaskett), a dynamic new Member of the House.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of our 
President's actions toward making our communities safer by ensuring 
guns are less likely to end up in the hands of people that shouldn't 
have them.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Congressman Jeffries and Congresswoman 
Beatty, for bringing this hour here in Congress. I am thankful for the 
Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order hour for taking time to 
educate the American people of the importance of our President's 
action.
  While this Congress and, in particular, our Republican colleagues 
have hemmed and dithered and engaged in political inertia and, at the 
end, failed to act in this matter, suspected terrorists are free to 
legally purchase combat-style weapons. American cities and other areas 
of this country are besieged by gun crime and thousands of lives are 
cut short.
  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, guns cause twice as 
many deaths in young people as cancer, 5 times as many as heart 
disease, and 15 times as many as infections. Yet, we afford no funding 
for research and empirical data collection, while at the same time we 
spend hundreds of millions researching and mitigating the effects of 
those other maladies.
  Every day this Congress fails to act more American families mourn, 
more American lives are cut short, many in their prime, and more 
American cities continue to mount homicide and shooting statistics.
  Even in America's paradise, my home district of the United States 
Virgin Islands, this is so. In 2015, there were 40 homicides in the 
U.S. Virgin Islands. On a per capita basis, that homicide rate is more 
than double that of the city of Chicago.
  Gun violence in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and in other 
places, along with the United States Virgin Islands, sadly are a near 
daily occurrence. While we pause for moments of silence after mass 
shootings like the ones in Newtown or San Bernardino, the thousands of 
victims of mass shootings that play out daily in cities like New York 
City and the U.S. Virgin Islands go largely unnoticed and unrecognized.
  While the President's actions will undoubtedly save lives, we know 
that communities like our own and the many other minority communities 
across this country, there needs to be more comprehensive action to 
address the underlying issues that are at the root of gun violence.
  I want to ask that this Congress act on these things. This Congress 
has in its power the ability to save thousands of lives. Let us not 
allow the nearly daily occurrence of mass shootings to become the new 
norm. We must act to pass comprehensive gun legislation in this 
Congress this year.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the President's action 
toward making our communities safer by ensuring guns are less likely to 
end up in the hands of people who shouldn't have them.
  While this Congress fails to act on this matter, suspected terrorists 
are free to legally purchase combat-style weapons, American cities are 
besieged by gun crime and thousands of lives are cut short.
  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, guns cause twice as 
many deaths in young people as cancer, five times as many as heart 
disease and 15 times as many as infections.
  Yet we afford no funding for research and empirical data collection, 
while at the same time we spend hundreds-of-millions researching and 
mitigating the affects of those maladies.
  Every day this Congress fails to act, more American families mourn: 
more American lives are cut short--many in their prime--and more 
American cities continue to mount homicide and shooting statistics.
  Even in America's paradise: my home district of the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. In 2015, there were 40 homicides in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
That's a per capita homicide rate more than double that of the city of 
Chicago.
  Gun violence in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, sadly, are a near daily occurrence. And while we pause for 
moments of silence after mass shootings like the one in New Town or San 
Bernadino, the thousands of victims of mass shootings that play out 
daily in cities like New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands go 
largely unnoticed and unrecognized.
  There were 353 mass shootings in this country in 2015--three of which 
occurred in my home district of the U.S. Virgin Islands. One occurred 
on a crowded boardwalk on a beautiful day in May.
  The second mass shooting took place in a housing community, where 
children played just after 5 p.m. one afternoon this past September.
  The third took place on a busy highway two days after Thanksgiving.
  A mass shooting occurs just about everyday in this country, yet there 
are no moments of silence or thoughts and prayers extended to many of 
the victims.

[[Page H275]]

  While the President's actions will undoubtedly save lives, we know 
that in communities like the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the many other 
minority communities across this country, there needs to be more 
comprehensive action to address the underlying issues that are at the 
root of gun violence.
  The citizens living in these communities experience inexcusable 
levels of poverty. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, more than 30 percent of 
children are living below the poverty level and in Chicago, most of the 
South and West sides have 40 to 60 percent of residents living below 
the poverty level.
  If we are serious about making our communities safer and reducing gun 
crime, we must take comprehensive action to not only reduce the 
likelihood of mass shootings like San Bernadino or New Town, but also 
address the systemic divestment of resources, education, support in 
communities of color across this country that lead the scourge of gun 
violence that play out on our inner-city streets everyday.
  In addition to The President's action, this congress needs to make it 
a priority to make adequate investments in early childhood education 
and other programs aimed at lifting children out of poverty.
  Additionally, making meaningful reforms to our criminal justice 
system and increasing resources to reduce the flow of drugs and illegal 
guns through our ports will help fight back the firearm black market.
  This is not about the second amendment: an overwhelming number of 
Americans--most gun owners themselves--agree, that we must do something 
to stop guns from getting into the hands of people who shouldn't have 
them.
  This Congress has in its power, the ability to save thousands of 
lives. Let us not allow the near daily occurrence of mass shootings to 
become the new norm. We must act to pass comprehensive gun legislation.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, last week, 
President Obama announced a series of executive actions aimed at 
reducing gun violence across the United States. President Obama laid 
out these much-needed steps in the face of Congressional inaction, 
which will help to reduce the senseless gun violence that affects 
countless communities across our nation.
  In 2014, firearms claimed the lives of more than 33,000 Americans. 
Over 2,800 of those fatalities took place in my home state of Texas. 
Perhaps there will be a time when we no longer will have to read 
headlines about mass murders in our schools or movie theaters. But 
until then, our nation must take concerted steps to strengthen 
background checks, improve mental health services, and keep firearms 
out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. This is what 
President Obama has sought to achieve and I truly believe that this can 
be done without infringing on law-abiding citizens' right to bear arms.
  There have been numerous critics of President Obama's executive 
actions to reduce gun violence. However, we can no longer stand by as 
gun violence claims the lives of more innocent Americans. The President 
is limited in what he can achieve through executive actions alone. That 
is why Congress has the responsibility to pass comprehensive gun safety 
legislation now and put our nation on the path to preventing such 
violence from happening again.
  Mr. Speaker, gun violence affects individuals of all backgrounds in 
communities all across the United States. It is not a Democratic issue 
nor is it a Republican issue. It is an issue that affects every 
American in one form or another. Successfully reducing gun violence in 
this country will take more than just legislative action from Congress. 
It will take the collective effort of every American to change the 
course of our history and end gun violence in America once and for all.

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