[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 99 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PROTECTING OUR KIDS ACT

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                               speech of

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 8, 2022

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the 
Protecting Our Kids Act, legislation in response to the gun violence 
that is affecting our communities, especially our children.
  Mr. Speaker, our communities continue to be ripped apart by gun 
violence. In the high-profile recent mass shootings in Buffalo, NY and 
Uvalde, TX shootings, 31 lives were lost, and many more lives were 
tossed into turmoil because of the actions of armed individuals. It is 
too easy for guns to end up in the wrong hands.
  According to the Washington Post, there have been 61 mass shootings 
in the month of May alone. It is important that we protect our children 
and our communities from gun violence.
  What is more important than protecting our children? Which is why I 
again call on the Senate to act on the commonsense legislation the 
House has already passed to expand background checks (H.R. 8) and our 
bill to close the Charleston loophole to help keep guns out of the 
hands of prohibited buyers.
  And this week, the House will consider legislation to put in place 
effective and commonsense protections that can help stop gun violence 
and contribute to safer communities.
  This includes the bill on the floor today that would bar those are 
under the age 21 from purchasing semiautomatic rifles. The legislation 
would also largely bar the sale, transfer, or possession of large 
capacity ammunition feeding devices, create new gun trafficking 
penalties including for straw purchasers who buy guns to pass on to 
someone who is prohibited from having one, and would strengthen 
regulations against hard to trace ``ghost guns'' that are turning up at 
more and more crime scenes in our communities.
  We must do everything in our power to protect our children. Our 
children must be able to feel safe in their classrooms. Or the movie 
theater. Or in their place of worship. Our seniors and others must feel 
safe to go to the grocery store.
  This legislation is a start. But there is more that we can and must 
do, including increasing investments in our children and communities 
such as my bill to provide grants to community-based organizations to 
provide deescalation training to help keep conflicts from turning 
violence or escalating in the first place.
  I urge support of this bill.

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