[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12670]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION

  (Ms. PLASKETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in, 
again, calling for this Congress to just simply call a vote on 
commonsense, lifesaving gun safety legislation. It has been almost 3 
months since House Democrats have taken to the floor to call for a 
vote, and the statistics indicate that this Congress' inaction has been 
complicit in thousands of lost lives.
  Mr. Speaker, gun violence continues to claim the lives of too many 
young people in this country. Sadly, it appears that every time I take 
to this podium to speak out against this Congress' inaction, there is 
another life lost to gun violence in my home district.
  As a nonvoting Delegate of Congress, I may not have a vote on the 
floor, but I have a voice; and I want to use that voice in joining the 
American public and my constituents in the Virgin Islands in saying 
enough is enough.
  As the mother of four young Black men, I hold my breath every time my 
sons go out to go about constructive daily life. Statistically, my sons 
are in the sight of being the victims of gun violence. Twice last week, 
one of my sons was within blocks and minutes of others in my community 
being shot--people doing their job.
  While we were in recess, my own former scheduler lost her husband, a 
fireman on his job, to gun violence in our community. Dorene, the 
prayers of all of us are with you and your family.
  Every day this Congress fails to act, more American families mourn, 
more American lives are cut short, and more American cities continue to 
mount homicide and shooting statistics. We can ensure responsible gun 
ownership while closing loopholes that allow terrorists and criminals 
to get their hands on dangerous weapons.
  I am urging--urging--my colleagues across the aisle to bring 
commonsense gun safety legislation to a vote.

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