[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H2238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Chamber today in support of 
H.R. 8.
  Americans have been waiting for Congress to catch up to them. It 
isn't often that we hear that 70, 80, or 90 percent of Americans agree 
on something, but when it comes to universal background checks, 97 
percent of Americans think it is a good idea.
  In my own district, I have seen that unity. After Parkland, we had 
13,000 people in Morristown, New Jersey, at the student-led March for 
Our Lives demanding gun safety legislation. After the horrific shooting 
at the Tree of Life synagogue, members of the community came together 
to denounce gun violence.
  The 11th District of New Jersey understands that universal background 
checks are a responsible way to address the gun violence epidemic in 
this country. It is a way to keep our communities safe.
  Here in New Jersey, we know that successful, responsible gun 
ownership looks a lot like the legislation we have on the books. We 
have good gun safety laws, but they are constantly undermined by States 
with weak gun safety laws.
  As a Federal prosecutor, I worked on cases where we traced illegal 
guns to neighboring States with weak gun safety laws. That is why it is 
so important that we have stronger Federal gun safety laws. Gun 
violence is a national problem, and it deserves a national response.
  Mr. Speaker, I grew up in a culture of gun safety. My father is a 
hunter, and he taught me how to shoot. I went on to serve in the United 
States Navy, and I was qualified as an expert shot in the M16, the Colt 
45, and the 9-millimeter Beretta.
  I am joined today by a fellow freshman veteran, the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania, and we have been trained and know the power of these 
weapons and the damage that they can do. Universal background checks 
are an easy step that we can take to improve gun safety in this 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. 
Houlahan).
  Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey 
for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today also in support of H.R. 8, and I rise to 
tell the story of one resident from my community, from Pennsylvania's 
Sixth Congressional District, Jamie Loeper, and his parents, Liz and 
Joe, from West Chester, Pennsylvania.

  Jamie had just graduated college and was looking for a permanent 
postcollege job. In the meantime, he was working in a pizza shop in 
West Philadelphia when his life was tragically cut short in January 
2004 when a worker accidentally shot him. This was not done in malice 
but was the result of a coworker accidentally mishandling a gun. Jamie 
passed away when he was 22 years old. Today would have been his 38th 
birthday.
  I rise for the 1,600 Pennsylvanians and nearly 40,000 Americans who 
have lost their lives to gun-related incidents in 2017 alone.
  The Loepers, like mine, are a military family. We understand the 
values of responsible gun ownership but also that we must take 
commonsense steps to reduce gun violence in our communities. We have 
seen for far too long far too many gun-related tragedies over the past 
several years with Congress doing nothing. We must act now.

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