[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 8867]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TERRORISM AND OUR NATION'S GUN LAWS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, here is a frightening quote from an Al Qaeda 
spokesman urging would-be terrorists to buy weapons in the United 
States. This is exactly what he said:

       America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable 
     firearms. You can go down to a gun show at the local 
     convention center and come away with a fully automatic 
     assault rifle, without a background check, and most likely 
     without having to show an identification card. So what are 
     you waiting for?

  This is an Al Qaeda blueprint for would-be lone wolf terrorists. They 
are telling them to buy guns because nobody will stop them and then go 
and murder Americans. That statement should make every Member of 
Congress think long and hard about our Nation's gun laws.
  Terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda are using America's gun laws 
against America. They are using these gun laws against Americans in 
every State. These murderers are calling on their radical followers to 
exploit loopholes in America's gun laws. Why? Because firearms are 
easier to obtain in America than making their homemade bombs. 
Republicans need to think about this very closely because, as Adam 
Lankford, an expert in criminal justice at the University of Alabama, 
told the Washington Post this week, ``It is becoming increasingly 
apparent that mass shootings may be just as deadly as bombings. And the 
scary part is it's often much easier to pull off.''
  Republicans are in denial about the connection between terrorism and 
guns. In the aftermath of the mass murders with guns at the LGBT 
nightclub in Orlando, Republicans are saying that these attacks have 
nothing to do with guns.
  The senior Senator from South Carolina said yesterday: ``This is not 
a gun control issue.'' It is a gun control issue, and that is 
undeniable. There is no question about that--none.
  Terrorist leaders are urging lone wolves to exploit our Nation's gun 
laws by telling them to buy assault weapons and then go out and murder 
Americans.
  The Republicans have blocked every attempt we have tried to address 
the deficiencies in our Nation's gun laws. Last December, Republicans 
blocked legislation that would close the so-called terror loophole, 
which allows suspected terrorists to enter a gun store and legally buy 
firearms or explosives or both. Republicans also blocked legislation 
that would close the gun show loophole, which allows criminals and 
terrorists to purchase guns without any background check. Remember what 
Al Qaeda's spokesman said:

       You can go down to a gun show at the local convention 
     center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, 
     without a background check. . . .

  That is what he said. This terrorist was talking about the gun show 
loophole. He was specifically pointing to a flaw in our Nation's gun 
laws that allows convicted terrorists to slip through, and it is a big, 
wide hole to slip through. Yet the Republicans refuse to respond to 
this crisis. Why? Because the National Rifle Association and the Gun 
Owners of America told them not to allow us to address this flaw in the 
law. This flaw in the law is leading to Americans being murdered.
  By blocking sensible gun safety, Republicans are playing into the 
terrorists' hands. Republicans' failure to legislate has added a new 
chapter in the ISIS playbook. As we have seen in Orlando and San 
Bernardino, deranged individuals are using the terrorist playbook. When 
terrorist groups are urging lone wolves to buy assault rifles and 
murder Americans, keeping guns away from terrorists is one of the most 
important steps we can take to protect Americans.
  How many more people must be murdered by terrorists wielding assault 
weapons before Republicans stop their obstruction? How many more? 
Perhaps 49 is enough. Hopefully we will find out this week with a vote 
here. How much longer will Republicans allow killers to manipulate our 
laws and continue their campaign of terror? How much longer will 
Republicans fail to protect the American people by allowing these gun 
loopholes to remain? Democrats are going to wait no longer. We are 
going to demand solutions to our Nation's gun law epidemic every chance 
we get.
  On Monday, I stated that we would demand a vote on the terror 
loophole, and we are going to do that. This is our obligation. We must 
try at every opportunity to say to the Republicans: The American 
people, not the NRA and not the Gun Owners of America, should be their 
obligation. There is no excuse for allowing suspected terrorists to buy 
guns. Guns are the problem. It may not be the only problem, but it is a 
problem, and it is a big problem.




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