[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H4987-H4988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, countless families 
and loved ones in my district are suffering as a result of the recent 
gun violence that claimed the lives of 5 police officers and injured 11 
more officers and civilians in Dallas. The ambush on the Dallas police 
was the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since the September 
11 attacks in our country. Yet House Republicans are leaving Washington 
today, for a 52-day recess, without taking any action to address the 
gun violence epidemic that is happening all across the Nation.
  The tragedy that occurred in my district, as well as the countless 
other shootings that we seldom hear about, begs the question: How many 
more innocent Americans will have to lose their lives before we act to 
put an end to gun violence?
  The answer, in my opinion, should be ``none.'' No more Americans 
should have to lose their lives. There are a number of proposals in 
Congress that are available today for the House Republicans to bring to 
the floor for a vote. This legislation is available now.
  Mr. Speaker, countless families and loved ones in my district are 
suffering as a result of the recent gun violence that claimed the lives 
of five police officers and injured eleven more officers and civilians 
in Dallas last week. This ambush on Dallas police was the deadliest 
incident for U.S. law enforcement since the September 11th attacks.
  Yet, House Republicans are leaving Washington today for a fifty-two 
day recess without taking any action to address the gun violence 
epidemic happening across our nation. The tragedy that occurred in my 
district, as well as the countless other shootings that we seldom hear 
about, begs the question of how many more innocent Americans will have 
to lose

[[Page H4988]]

their lives before we act to put an end to gun violence. The answer, in 
my opinion, should be none. No more Americans should have to lose their 
lives.
  There are a number of proposals in Congress available today that 
House Republicans could bring to the floor for a vote. There is 
legislation available now to bolster the National Instant Criminal 
Background Check System. There is legislation available now to 
reinstate a federal ban on assault weapons. There is legislation 
available now to study the costs of gun violence. Yet, none of these 
bills have seen the light of day on the House floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues to do the people's 
bidding and work cooperatively with Democrats to pass meaningful and 
comprehensive gun reforms so that we can finally put an end to this 
senseless violence.

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