We are from different parts of the world but we fight for the same thing. It feels like this club keeps growing and growing. Yes. It is a lifetime membership. Thats just unimaginable. The dues are way too costly. You have to go through it to understand it. This is a club that is uniquely american. And one that you never want to join. How many have to die . At what point do you realize it is a knock away from your door and this could be your story. This is sandy and lonnie phillips. A few years ago, they sole everything they owned and bought an rv. It is really pretty out here. It would be a lot of fun on a motorcycle. You might think theyre retirees traveling the country but theyre not. Theyve chosen another line of work. One that keeps them very busy. A mass shooting with casualties. Another shooting. Nine people died. 11 people were killed. 17 People Killed. 26 People Killed today. 50 people are dead. Sandy and lonnie respond to Mass Shootings, offering support to grieving families a
Testified. This hearing is just under four hours. [no audio] we have more than 200 people here today and hundreds more watching on our Committee Web cast. I expect everybody in this room to be respectful of the senators and the witnesses speaking about this very serious subject. I do not want applause for or against any position. The Capitol Police have been notified to remove any audience interference in an effort to have orderly conduct for that. That is a warning i give the many hearings. We will hear a lot of perspective on gun violence. I will give opening statements. But we have a former member of congress here, Gaby Giffords who will give a brief message and believed and captain kelly, thank you for your help in bringing your wife here. Ms. Giffords ok. Thank you for inviting me here today. This is an important conversation for our children, for our communities, for democrats and republicans. Speaking is difficult but i need to Say Something important. Violence is a big problem.
Republican party. The vote just barely failed, and despite john boehner urging all of their members to vote against it, 94 voted aye. This weekend peter king wasnt very happy with his party. I thought it was disgraceful that so many republicans voted to defund the nsa program. This goes totally against the party of eisenhower, reagan, bush. We are a party of National Defense. Michael nsa surveillance has become a key issue in the ongoing role that has emboldened libertarians and tea partiers alike. This strain of libertarianism that is going through both parties right now, and making big headlines, i think is a very dangerous thought. These intellectual debates, i want them to come to new jersey and sit across from the widows and orphans and have that conversation, and and they wont, because thats a much tougher conversation to have. Michael both parties . Its going through both parties . Really. He joined king in calling out rand paul. He said his views put the country at risk of futu
Gun ownership works and the nra has a long and proud history of doing exactly that. Our eddie eagle Child Safety Program has it out 25 million Young Children that if they see a gun, they should do four things. Stop, dont touch it, leave the area and call an adult. As a result of this and other private sector programs, fatal firearms accidents are at the lowest level in a hundred years. The nra has over 80,000 certified instructors who teach our military personnel, Law Enforcement officers, and hundreds of thousands of other american men and women how to safely use firearms. We do more and spend more than anyone else on teaching safe and responsible gun ownership. We join the nation in sorrow over the tragedy that occurred in newtown, connecticut. There is nothing more precious than our children. And we have no more sacred duty than to protect our children and to keep them safe. Thats why we ask former congressman and undersecretary of Homeland Security Asa Hutchinson to bring in every
That it would be two minutes. Were waiting for him to show up. The nra is americas premiere gun rights lobby. It may be facing its biggest challenge in years as Many Americans shocked, they were shocked by newtown and theyre calling for tougher restrictions on guns and ammunition, and while we wait for the groups executive director to appear, Wayne Lapierre, i want to bring in several of my colleagues now. First off, wolf blitzer is here, Jessica Yellin is at the white house, dana bash on capitol hill, and Jeffrey Toobin is in new york for us. As we wait, wolf, lets start with you. Is this, in fact, a turning point for guns in america . Do you think well hear anything like that in this press conference . I know a lot of attitudes have hardened as a result of what has happened over the past week in newtown, connecticut. You were there, i was there, and people all over the country and all over the world are outraged by the horrible nature of that massacre that occurred at the Elementary