[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 109 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE NEED FOR CONGRESS TO ACT TO END OUR COUNTRY'S GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 7, 2016

  Mr. HASTINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give voice to the millions 
of Americans across this country who are tired of this body's 
leadership being held hostage by the Gun Lobby. The dilatory response 
by House Republicans, a response directly linked to the fact that they 
are so closely intertwined with the nefarious Gun Lobby, is as shameful 
as it is reckless.
  Over 33,000 people lose their lives every year to the gun violence 
epidemic. What does Republican Leadership do in the face of these 
deaths? Nothing. That is not negligence, it is gross negligence and 
those who stand firmly in the way of those of us trying desperately to 
make this country a safer place for our children and grandchildren are 
increasingly culpable in the deaths that most certainly and tragically 
lay ahead.
  Mr. Speaker, all Americans have a right to make their communities 
safe from the onslaught of gun violence this country witnesses year 
after year. They have a right to demand that felons and domestic 
abusers cannot buy a gun without any questions asked. They have a right 
to demand that dangerous loopholes allowing terrorists to buy weapons 
are closed. They have a right to demand that an end is put to the 
unbelievable number of military-style firearms flowing through their 
streets. And demanded they have, Mr. Speaker. Indeed, a majority of 
Americans support ensuring that a husband with a proven history of 
violent acts committed against his wife should not have access to a 
firearm. A majority of Americans think it is absolutely ridiculous that 
we do not stop felons from purchasing firearms. And a majority of 
Americans think it is beyond comprehensible that members of this body 
would stand in the way of us working to ensure that terrorists do not 
have access to weapons of mass murder.
  Mr. Speaker, the time has well since passed when we should have 
enacted these common sense reforms. The time has well since passed 
since we ought to have taken action to protect our communities--to make 
those communities safer for our children and grandchild. There is 
bipartisan legislation in this House that will address these pressing 
issues and it is time for the Republican Leadership to bring this 
legislation to the House Floor for a vote immediately. Any further 
delay is a shameful dereliction of duty on the part of House Republican 
Leadership.

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