[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H5453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, on June 22, along with many of my 
colleagues, I sat on this floor right here with my Democratic 
colleagues demanding that Speaker Ryan give us a vote on commonsense 
gun violence prevention legislation.
  In July, I again joined my colleagues on this floor holding up photos 
of Americans lost to gun violence, and again Speaker Ryan failed to 
give us a vote. Instead, he and the rest of the House Republicans left 
town for the longest recess in decades.
  During the recess, 2,015 people died from gun violence--76 people in 
Chicago alone, my hometown. That is the worst month for gun violence in 
Chicago since 1997.
  We have called for solutions like comprehensive background checks 
that have overwhelming public support. But 2 months later, House 
Republicans still refuse to bring these measures to a vote.
  Each day that we fail to act, more families lose loved ones to gun 
violence. So I come to the floor again today, and I will come back as 
often as it takes, until Congress finally steps up to stop gun 
violence.

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