[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         BRING GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION TO HOUSE FLOOR FOR A VOTE

  (Ms. ESTY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, in Connecticut, we know all too well the 
devastation caused by gun violence. We will never stop mourning the 
lives of the 26 people who were ripped from us by the horrific 
shootings in Newtown, but just as tragic are the deaths that don't make 
national headlines.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a serious problem with gun violence in this 
country from which no person, no community is protected. This year 
alone, in the capital city of Hartford, gun violence has claimed 19 
lives. Yet, today, this House is scheduled to adjourn for the next 5 
weeks, refusing to bring this urgent public health matter to the House 
floor, refusing to address gun violence, which is hurting America.
  I have joined with colleagues from across the aisle to propose a 
bipartisan bill to expand background checks to all commercial gun 
sales--legislation that, if enacted, would have prevented several of 
the most recent mass shootings.
  I urge the leadership of this House to spend August thinking about 
the 30,000 Americans we lose each year to gun violence and to bring 
this urgent matter to the full House for a vote when we reconvene in 
September.

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