[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PASS GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, I stood up on this 
floor and called for action to stop gun violence. My request was 
simple: before we recess this summer, let us pass lifesaving gun safety 
legislation. This is something that has bipartisan support. It is 
something that urban, suburban, and rural communities have cried out 
for help on.
  Universal background checks are something 74 percent of NRA members 
support. Put in context, just 16 percent of Americans want the 
majority's healthcare bill, and yet you have attempted to pass it three 
times in the past 2 months. Nearly 8 in 10 Americans want background 
checks on gun sales, but we have not had one vote.
  Because of your inaction, over 100 people were shot and over 10 were 
killed by gun violence in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. Over 
100 Americans shot in one weekend and in one city, and still we do 
nothing.
  I would like to call out names of those who have lost their lives:
  Martell Sanders-Anderson, 16;
  Djuan Williams, 16;
  Andre Taylor, 16;
  Lucas L. Spicer, Jr., 16;
  Pierre Loury, 16;
  Davharea Wilson, 16;
  Ladarrius Jackson, 15;
  Leonardo Betancourt, 13;
  Randall Young, 16;
  Eddy Brooks, 16;
  Nathan Hicks, 16;
  Damarcus Williams, 16;
  Veronica Lopez, 15;
  Fabian Lavinder, 15;
  Victor Felix, 16;
  Christian Bandemer, 16;
  Melvin Cook, 16;
  Trevell Parker, 16;
  Travon Smith, 15;
  Mario Venegas, Jr., 15;
  Delance Price, 16;
  Malik Causey, 14;
  Elijah Sims, 16;
  Jaylen Howard, 16;
  Demarco Webster, Jr., 14;
  Deandre Banks, 16;
  Elijah House, 16;
  Clarence Coakley, 16;
  Javon Wilson, 15;
  Diego Alvarado, 16;
  Christopher Brandon, 16;
  Gregory Livingston, 15;
  Malik McNeese, 16;
  Bruce Owens, 15;
  Diabolique Anderson, 16;
  Willie Woodus, 15;
  Clavonte Eubanks, 15;
  Takiya Holmes, 11;
  Lavontay White, Jr., 2;
  Deshawn Martin, 15;
  Mishawn Green, 16;
  Kanari Gentry-Bowers, 12;
  Laquan Allen, 14;
  Jaquarius Davis, 16;
  Julio Cesar Garcia-Lara, 15;
  Kahari Stovall, 16;
  Diego Villada, 15;
  Jesus Escobar, 16;
  Alexis Stubbs, 12; and
  Jazebel Aleman, 3.
  Mr. Speaker, not one of these children was over 16 years old. They 
should be learning to drive, learning to code, playing with dolls, and 
enjoying their own summer recess. That will never again be possible 
because of this Chamber's inaction.

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