[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

  (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, Tuesday night, I joined my fellow Rhode 
Islander, Representative Cicilline, at a vigil for the Pulse nightclub 
victims. On that night, we marked the 1-month anniversary of that 
tragic shooting with candles and with speeches.
  But what we did not do, Mr. Speaker, is mark it with action. For 
that, I am profoundly sorry.
  I am sorry that, despite our efforts, fear continues to rule this 
body. Republican leaders' fear of the gun lobby is so powerful that 
they won't even allow a debate or a vote on proposals supported by over 
80 percent of the American people for expanded background checks to 
keep guns out of the wrong hands or ensure that someone on a terrorist 
no-fly list can't buy a weapon.
  Republicans won't allow a vote because they are afraid our 
commonsense proposals would pass and that they would be blamed for 
allowing a majority of the House to work its will, the will of the 
American people.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that we stop legislating from fear. It is 
time that we stop the silence in response to tragedy and uphold the 
commitments that we made to represent our constituents and to keep them 
safe.
  While the majority may hope that, by retreating to their districts, 
they will be able to dodge this issue, rest assured, we will not let 
them do so.
  We are not going away on this issue, Mr. Speaker. We are going to 
keep fighting for expanded background checks to keep guns out of the 
wrong hands, and we are going to keep fighting to ensure that someone 
on a terrorist no-fly list cannot buy a weapon.

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