Transcripts For CSPAN US House Of Representatives Special Or

Transcripts For CSPAN US House Of Representatives Special Orders 20160622

Thats something we ought to look at. Im very interested to see what happens. That may give us an opening. Im happy to stand here with my colleagues and can certainly tell you that i the frustration that we all feel should really culminate in positive action. Thank you all for being here. Cheers and applause] mr. Larson just so you know, and its a hue rumor, we want to make members aware of this, there are reports that theyre going to come back in, some said at 7 00, other reports say 8 00, we to take up legislation so urge people to be close to the floor and be with mr. Lewis during this time period. Our next speaker is dina titus. While dina is coming down, im going to give you the order of people right after dina, marcy kaptur and then Eddie Bernice johnson. Dina. Ms. Titus thank you, john, thank you, mr. Lewis, thank all of you for staying with us tonight. Others have spoken much more eloquently than i can but i want to add my voice to this proud chorus of democrats calling for action. It was almost two years ago to the day that i stood in this on this very spot and asked for a moment of silence to remember, mourn, to honor three people who were shot down in my district in southern nevada. Two were Metro Police Officers who were just having lunch and one was a shopper at a nearby walmart who stepped in and tried to help. At that moment, i became a member of probably the only club in washington that people dont want to belong to. And thats the club of those of us who have stood on this floor and asked for a moment of silence. Since that time two years ago that club has continued to grow and we need to shut it down. We need to take action now, it will help stop the need for those moments of silence. We are only talking about reasonable gun legislation. Its not outrageous. Dont be fooled by the rhetoric of the other side that its about gun ownership. I own a gun. I grew up in the south where gun a gun hangs over almost every mantle in every house. I now live in the west where guns are a big part of our culture. Its not about that. Its about trying to make our communities safer. So now we need to break that silence. We need to take action. Need host again, technical problems with the periscope feed. Well continue to monitor that feed from representative scott peters of california. Weve also been looking at a feed from bay toe orourke of texas. From bee toe orourke of texas from beto orourke of texas. As the democrats continue their sitin to demand legislation on a no fly new york buy gun control. Heres a tweet from congressman john lewis on the right and congressman jim mcgovern of massachusetts on the left. Representative Katherine Clark tweeting out that picture. Holding the floor until we get a vote on gun violence. We are hearing that republicans who met in conference this evening about an hour ago intend to come back to the floor for some sort of legislative action tonight. We are seeing some tweets from congressional reporters to that effect. Nothing official. You just heard a few moments ago from the sitin as well that theyre hearing the same thing so well have to see how that plays out. Of course if the house comes back into session, the cameras will come back on and well have our live feed. Until then, we understand the periscope feed is back up so well check in again with the democrats sitin on the house floor. Ms. Kaptur we know hes still missing in action as the party is missing in action. There was talk about the Appropriations Committee this morning. Nita loweys amendment. In order to have no fly, no buy, and what the republicans did to hat amendment. Host and back we are again. Trying our best to bring you as much of the democrats sitin on the house floor live as possible but were relying on social media and a couple of periscope feeds that weve been getting today from scott peters, representative scott peters of california, and congressman beto orourke of texas who have been participating in the sitin. Against the rules providing some video of the house floor. The rules are when the house is not in session, the cameras go off. Those cameras are control and operated by the house. The house staff. Same goes in the senate that we cover on cspan2. Those cameras also controlled by the senate. We simply take a feed here at cspan. So when the house is in recess, as they are now, those cameras go down and were relying, typically we dont see anything but today were relying on some social media feeds to cover as much as we can of the House Democrats sitin. Again, we are getting some word through congressional sources, some report some reporters on the hill that the house plans to come into session at some point this evening and attempt to do some legislative work. The democrats you may have heard a few minutes ago, on the floor being warned that that is in the offing as well. A couple of tweets weve gotten through today, heres a fun one from cbs news, when Keith Ellisons mother summons him to the house floor and other unusual sitin stories. Shows a note to congressman keith ellison, your mom called and wants you on the floor. Summoning her son to this sitin n the house floor. Looks like we have the feed back up, the periscope feed, and well cover as much of this live as possible. Ms. Kaptur i do wish to read the eldest and youngest from the San Bernardino shooting, where 14 people were killed. The oldest was isaac who was 60 years old and the two youngest, and ere 27, fiera clayborn evote milanson. Nd from orlando, the oldest, Frankie Jimmy dejesus velazquez, 60 years old, and the youngest, aquirra mone murray. I dont see why its so hard for the republicans to join us to meet this moral crisis that our nation faces. There should be no break, if no bill is passed. When nita lowey finished her remark this is morning and we lost the vote because the republicans wouldnt support us on no fly, no buy she said whats really at stake is your inconvenience versus the lives of our grandchildren and children. I thought that that was really an incredible statement. And ive been serving long enough to know this. When we passed the assault weapons ban during the 1990s, the n. R. A. Didnt disappear, they didnt go out of business. The gun shops in my district didnt go out of business. The Ammunition Companies didnt go out of business. But you know what happened . Fewer americans were killed by the thousands because that ban was in effect. No bill, no break, no fly, no buy. Cheers and applause] mr. Larson last night, a person who worked on my staff for cousin, 19 s, his carmen munn ed jr. , died as a result of a shooting. Along with ashley spence, only 21, and harold cook, who was 39. To not recognize that this is an epidemic, not recognize that this is a crisis, that this is beyond a natural disaster, because these disasters in all , our communities are manmade we must have a vote. We will not yield this floor. There will be an attempt to take this floor from us sometime tonight. No way. Stand firm, democrats. Now, ladies and gentlemen, there are shining stars, especially in the heart of texas, deep in the heart of texas, no one shines brighter than Eddie Bernice johnson. [applause] ms. Johnson i want to thank john lewis and Katherine Clark for leading us into this day. You know, when i stand here and think about why we have to do this, it is disgraceful. It is disgraceful because what were asking is so simple. After every large gathering where people are killed, you hear someone say, oh, he was quiet. He didnt talk to anybody. He was by himself. After the fact. After the fact, we learn that with a background check, that person would not have had a weapon. It is so simple to solve this. Ont know why theres such among republicans and the National Rifle association. I remember in 1994, when we passed the bill, we lost the majority. That was senseless to me. Senseless because theres no ason why a simple thing like this couldnt be checked when you have Mental Health and when you have many people frustrated by what were doing right now, theyre frustrated because we have not been able to pass sensible legislation. It is time for us to do this. It is time for us to take a stand and let the American People know that we are listening. Because we go along every day, just like theyre not even out there. Nd n. R. A. Has its way. Its troubling for our nation that is a leading nation in the world that cannot come together. People who elected by the American People cannot come together to solve this problem. No matter what we do, its not going to take everything away. But we can do several things that would save many lives. Many, many lives. Especially children. That we standable here every day, that we are standing here and its called a political stunt. How many of you call this a political stubt . Im serious, theres no way id sit here in this cold place unless i was serious about what im here for. The American People are serious. Is time for us to stand and speak until we get something done. Its time for us to realize that the n. R. A. Is not elected, theyre not in charge. We are. We will sit here to take care of the peoples business. This is the peoples business. How many more people are we call forsit around and silence when they get killed, and whats it going to do for us . Its not going to bring them back. How sad it is that just a simple background check cannot be passed in this body. How sad it is that we cant get more weapons off the streets. Were not at war in this country. Weapons should be reserved for war. And im not antigun. You dont have to be antigun to be antimultishot weapon. And you dont have to be antigun to ask for a background check. To make sure that the guns dont get in the hands of the wrong eople. And hopefully we can finally address Mental Health in this nation. Im really tired of hearing about what the persons were like after they killed 45, 50 people. Lets stand together and lets just say, no bill, no break. Mr. Larson she hadnt even been sworn in to her seat in congress when she witnessed the devastation at sandy hook. Before she either took before she even took the oath of office , she was there. For the families of those children. And shes been there in this e serving along with serving as cochair of serving along with Mike Thompson as cochair of the gun violence committee. Elizabeth esty of connecticut. [cheers and applause] ms. Esty i am so proud to be standing here with my friends and colleagues tonight. The energy in this room, i want to let you know, is duplicated by a crowd that is growing outside the capitol tonight. [applause] organically arising from americans who know that this institution of american democracy is about peoples voices being heard. And theyre being heard loud and clear across the country tonight. I am getting texts and tweets from my kids, from their friends, from my minister, from former minister who was moved away, all saying, you stand together. You stand tall. And stand up for the American People. Reporters are asking, what is different tonight . Youve been here before, all of you. How many moments of silence, since the death of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers wasnt enough, what will it take . It takes courage. It takes unity. And we are seing that here tonight. And it takes civil disobedience. John lewis has led us today because he understands that the vote is the most essential quality america has. Right now, the leadership of this house has deprived the members of the public a vote because our voices have been silenced, because we have not been allowed a single vote in 3 1 2 years that ive been in congress, in 3 1 2 year, not one hearing, not one vote on not one single bill to help keep americans safe from gun violence. Not one. Thats why we had no choice but to take other the floor. Thats why we have no take over the floor. Thats why we have no choice but to ensure that the vote of the people is reflected in debate and votes in this house. So to all of you who are gathered here today, thank you. To those who are watching, thank you. And text and write and call and demand that this house live up to the highest aspirations of the American People. We talk about tragedy. Tragedies are unforgettable. Theyre acts of god. Thats not what were looking at here. Its not. Since sandy hook, 100,000 americans have been killed with a gun. Think about that. 100,000. Now that number is so big it doesnt even make sense. Ats bigger than what we see yet thats what the inaction of this house has allowed to happen. Think of the story of a single person, weve heard stories today, of each individual. When their lives are taken, families are ripped apart and the ripples of that spread out through communities. The damages of tens of million of americans who are crying out tonight, act, do something. We need a vote. We need a vote. We need a vote to protect the American People. Were sworn to protect the constitution and uphold it, were sworn to protect the American People. And thats what is at stake tonight. No fly, no buy. If you are too dangerous to goat on to get on an airplane, what business do you have legally buying as many weapons as you want, and as much ammunition as you want . The American People cannot believe that this is true. If you think of what you have to go through when you go to an airport, take off your belt, take off your shoes, take off your buy aye pod, and scan through a scanner. But if youre a wouldbe terrorist, guess what, you can just go and buy whatever you want. That makes no sense. And its up to this house to fix it. We need a vote on no fly no, buy. And we need a vote on background checks. 20 years ago, i dont know how you did your Holiday Shopping but you probably didnt do it on the internet. Guess what, people buying guns, thats what theyre doing now. Theyre buying on the internet system of what used to be a small loophole, the gun show loophole, has gotten huge. 40 of sales now. Its amazing we stop anybody with background checks right now. And we have, we have stopped more than two million gun purchases. But thats stupid criminals who are dumb enough to go to licensed dealers. Its as if a terrorist waiting , line to get on the plane fully loaded with a suicide vest, was allowed to just get on the plane without going through security clearance. We can fix this. There are some things that are hard. Getting up every morning when youve lost a child to gun violence, thats hard. Thats really hard. Thats what nicole hoxley does every tai. Her son, dylan, was gunned down in his first grade classroom and nicole didnt choose this life. She didnt choose a life where she cries and gets up every day and travels america to try to help other family, try to make this country safer, to try to make american democracy, to live up to its promise. But she does. Because thats what needs to get done and what we need to do in this house and what whoever occupy this is chair needs to do occupies this chair needs to do is allow us a vote. No bill, no break. No bill, no break. Its time for a vote. The families of america deserve no less from their elected officials. [applause] mr. Larson from washington state, our leader on the armed ervices committee, adam smith. Mr. Smith cant say it better than those who have said it before, but were talking about common sense. Two thing, eright of this house to vote, which too often has been thwarted by this majority on issue after issue, not allowing us to vote. Win the if they vote, they win the vote but it would at least allow democracy to work. On gun control they havent allowed it. The second thing is basic common sense. Ive heard about people in rural areas say they own guns. Were not talking about taking away guns from everyone. Clinton that president would take away everyones guns, but my constituents still have guns. We heard about the ba Ma Administration hed take away guns, but eight years later, still have guns. We should have universal background checks so if you are legally barred from buying a gun, you dont. Its very simple and straightforward. We dont have that, but we have all kinds of loopholes to allow people to buy guns. The second piece is, if you are considered a threat to this country, and this is where my Armed Services Committee Work and National Security work really tells me helps me if youre a threat to this country and not allowed to fly on an airplane, you shouldnt be allowed to buy a weapon. Another piece of legislation that i think remitives thompson and lewis introduced, if you are being watched by the f. B. I. As a potential terrorist, you should be prevented from buying a firearm and they should be immediately notified if you try to do that. Thats what were asking for. I want to applaud my colleagues for having the courage. Often times we say in the house, we dont have the filibuster, we cant stop things, we cant force things. Youre showing, where theres a will, theres a way. We will force a vote on these common sense gun control pieces of legislation. That we wont go until we get that vote. I want to say one final thing, i hope this is just the first step, because stopping gun violence in this country is not just about sensible gun control. That certainly is the appeal but ill mention one other. Mental health issues. We do not do [applause] many of you here served with gabby giffords. Wellember standing in this the day she couldnt come back. It was one of the saddest days in my life. The person who shot her and killed other people and shot other people in tucson, it was obvious to everyone who knew him that he had many problems. This has been the case with many shooters, yet our laws are inadequate to do anything about it. I hope what we get here today is a vote on this legislation but other than that, i hope we force a comprehensive approach to everything that contributes to the senseless gun violence and the 30,000 deaths a year caused by gun violence. We must stand up, we must force this vote. I applaud you for your effort here today. I want to go home like everybody else, but im not going to do it until we get a vote on this. So no break [applause] mr. Larson stacey plaskett, where are you . Uickly, we go to seth moulton. [applause] hell be followed by jim costa, who will be followed by l

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