[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1228-H1229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ONE YEAR SINCE WE VOTED TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY GUN DEATHS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Georgia (Mrs. McBath) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I rise on the anniversary of the House 
passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.
  It is has been 1 year since we stood together in this Chamber, 
Democrats and Republicans, and voted to pass a commonsense bill that 
will help save lives; 1 year since we voted to prevent unnecessary gun 
deaths and keep guns away from those who should not have them; 1 year 
since we acted to protect our children, to protect our communities, and 
to protect our families.
  One hundred Americans die every single day from gun violence. In 
2020, there have already been more gun deaths in the United States than 
our peer countries will experience in an entire year. That is 
unconscionable, and it is why 90 percent of our country supports 
universal background checks.
  Yet, we are told that, instead of changing our laws, we must have 
more active-shooter drills; more first graders coming home with tears 
in their eyes, 6-year-olds asked to decide for themselves whether they 
are more likely to survive by hiding in a closet or if they should rush 
the gunman; more mother's reading messages from their children locked 
inside a school that plead: Mom, if I don't make it home, I love you, 
and I appreciate everything that you have done for me.
  Too often we are told that we must accept these tragedies, but 
millions of Americans refuse to accept that, and I stand with them.
  Today marks 1 year since we passed the Bipartisan Background Checks 
Act.
  Tomorrow marks 1 year since the passage of the Enhanced Background 
Check Act, which would close the Charleston loophole.
  I introduced a bill that would give loved ones and law enforcement 
more tools to keep guns away from those who are a danger to themselves 
or to others, tools that would help people like Mary Miller-Strobel, 
whose brother, Ben, was a combat veteran suffering from depression and 
PTSD.
  Mary and her family worried about his mental health, and they drove 
to every gun store in their area pleading with the store owners not to 
sell her brother a gun. Ben Miller died by suicide. He used the gun he 
bought at his local gun store.

                              {time}  1015

  There is injustice in this year without action. I know that sense of 
injustice. On black Friday in November 2012, my son Jordan was sitting 
in the back seat of a car at a gas station with his

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friends. A man pulled up next to them and complained about the loud 
music that they were playing.
  He pulled out a gun and he fired 10 shots into that car hitting 
Jordan three times, killing my only son.
  I lost my son. But I am still his mother and I am on a mission to 
help protect the lives of children like him all over America.
  I made a promise to my community that I would act in Washington.
  I promised that I would take that sense of protection, that love a 
mother has for her only son, and use it for my community, use it for 
the American people.
  I promised I would dedicate my life to families like mine in 
Marietta, Georgia, who are terrified that they will send their kids to 
school and never see them come home. They are terrified they will be 
me.
  I pray that on the 1-year anniversary of H.R. 8, that we remember 
that this is in our hands. We remember families like Mary's. We 
remember children graduating from high school. We remember Florida. We 
remember communities all across this country. Their lives are in our 
hands.
  I want to thank my colleagues, survivors, and volunteers, and 
advocates across America that are here with us today for your tireless 
work to pass this landmark legislation and protect our families.
  I pray that God bless us all in this fight to save American lives.

                          ____________________