[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 10, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H1316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BACKGROUND CHECKS WORK

  (Ms. SCANLON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, for too many communities in southeastern 
Pennsylvania, the steady toll of gun violence day in and day out is a 
horrifying reality.
  Right now, my region is at the epicenter of a staggering uptick in 
gun violence taking place in the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
In the first 3 months of this year, over 300 people in the city of 
Philadelphia have been shot. Over 50 have been killed, and 5 of those 
were children.
  Mr. Speaker, the gun violence measures we are voting on this week 
close major loopholes in our gun laws that have allowed people, who we 
all agree should not have guns, to purchase guns without completed 
background checks.
  While our colleagues across the aisle claim these laws won't prevent 
gun violence, that is not true. Even with the loopholes, Federal 
background checks have prevented over 3 million sales to people we all 
agree should not have guns.
  When required and enforced, background checks work, and they have the 
power to keep guns out of dangerous hands and off our streets.
  Congressional complacency in addressing this issue has made our 
country less safe and put children and our most marginalized 
communities at risk.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support these bills.

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