[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              VOTE ON NO FLY, NO BUY AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Larson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, as we started what is 
commonly referred to as ``our 5 minutes,'' the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Jolly) talked about a proposal that he would like to bring forward 
to this body. We wish him well in that. He also wondered aloud why it 
would be that Democrats are so interested in bringing two commonsense 
proposals that he feels might fail--because it is our constitutional 
responsibility to the citizens that we are sworn to serve and 
represent.
  Speaker Ryan has said: ``We will not duck the tough issues. We will 
take them head on . . . we should not hide our disagreements. We should 
embrace them. We have nothing to fear from honest disagreements 
honestly stated.''
  The Speaker is right. He is an honorable man.
  He met with John Lewis and myself last evening. John Lewis is the 
conscience of the House of Representatives and, I dare say, the soul of 
this Nation. The Speaker and John Lewis engaged in a conversation that 
was reverent in its tone and respectful. We stated, as no one better 
than John Lewis can, with great clarity about what is happening all 
across the Nation--the catastrophic loss of life due to gun violence 
and the utter frustration on the part of people on this side of the 
aisle and, frankly, families and people all across this great Nation, 
simply asking for the dignity of a vote--our constitutional 
responsibility.
  The Speaker did say to us and asked aloud in a quandary, not as a 
deal or not as any rationale, but today there is an important bill, the 
Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, authored by Tim Murphy, a 
Republican, supported by Democrats who worked together. Democrats would 
have done more and felt the bill could have been more comprehensive and 
better funded. The important thing is that the Nation wants to see us 
move forward.
  We said to the Speaker we would take this message back to our caucus. 
And I say, appealing as Lincoln would, to the better angels of your 
side, as we embrace this issue today and support this effort 
bipartisanly, think long and hard about joining us. There has to be 
more than five of you on the other side who will come with us and 
support commonsense legislation. Background checks that are fundamental 
that law enforcement knows are what we absolutely need to assist in 
this goal of making sure that we keep this country safer are what is 
required.
  I hope, Mr. Speaker, that in the midst of our disagreement, in the 
midst of our dissent and continued presence on this floor, to 
articulate our deep feelings and commitment to the citizens we are 
sworn to serve, you will permit that the majority will allow a vote to 
take place on this floor which will demonstrate to this great country 
that this United States Congress can work. It will start today. It will 
happen when that bill comes to the floor. This side of the aisle joins 
with you to get an important piece of legislation passed and adopted as 
it relates to the mental health crisis in this country.
  As Diana DeGette said, it should not be considered a substitute, but 
what it should be considered is a step that we can work together in a 
common cause. It is what the American people expect from us. We should 
give them no less. Minimally, we deserve a vote, a vote on no fly, no 
buy and a vote on background checks.

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