[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10325]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   LET'S ACT TO CUT DOWN GUN VIOLENCE

  (Mr. THOMPSON of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, last week, we witnessed an 
act of pure hatred and evil in Charleston, South Carolina.
  This is a time to mourn the victims, to pray for their families, for 
a community to heal, and for Congress to take action against unchecked 
and widespread gun violence.
  Thirty-plus people are killed every day by someone using a gun. Mass 
shootings are becoming almost commonplace; yet we continue to do 
nothing. No legislation will stop every tragedy, but passing 
commonsense gun laws will at least stop some. We need to pass 
background checks as our first line of defense against criminals and 
the dangerously mentally ill getting guns.
  We don't know what laws could have prevented the shooting in 
Charleston, but we do know that background checks help keep guns from 
dangerous people, and that saves lives.
  If the Republican leadership has a better idea to cut down on gun 
violence, let's see it. If not, let's bring commonsense, bipartisan 
reforms like my bill to expand criminal background checks up for a 
vote.

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