Joe Neguse: “First let me thank the distinguished gentleman, my good friend, from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, whose leadership with…”

“First let me thank the distinguished gentleman, my good friend, from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, whose leadership with respect to addressing the scourge of gun violence that has, unfortunately, taken hold in so many parts of our country, has been unparalleled since he first stepped into this august Chamber last year. We are grateful for his service, we are grateful for his leadership, and we are grateful for him initiating this important conversation tonight. Mr. Speaker, I must say that there are many constituents of mine who are frustrated, who are outraged, who are anguished at the inaction of this body to address an issue as fundamental as this one. What could be more important, Mr. Speaker, than the safety of our families, of our friends, of our neighbors, of our colleagues, of our children, of our fellow citizens. This Congress has a job to do, and that job must include addressing gun violence and enacting commonsense reforms that we know will save lives. I have the distinct privilege, Mr. Speaker, of representing the great State of Colorado, and we have been no stranger to the anguish of gun violence. Next week will mark the 25th anniversary of the tragic and devastating massacre at Columbine High School. Mr. Speaker, 13 Coloradans murdered in cold blood, 12 students, and 1 teacher, 25 years ago next week. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago, my community was devastated by yet another mass shooting at our local grocery store. Mr.…”