On the recordJuly 5, 2016
We are here with a very simple plea this morning with 5-minutes and this afternoon with 1- minutes. We know the Speaker is an honorable man. We know that the chairman of the Rules Committee, Mr. Sessions, is an honorable man. We in the minority are just asking for two commonsense, simple votes, both that have bipartisan support and sit here waiting to be discharged. But in the minority, it is the only voice that we have. This minority party represents, actually, a majority of the American citizens, and we can't get a vote on what the American people are crying out for. Mr. Speaker, 85 to 95 percent-- depending upon what poll you read--believe that there should be a bill that does not provide terrorists who are on the no-fly list with a gun. Also, people believe that there should be background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. There have been more than 1,000--1,000--mass murders since Sandy Hook. We cannot be silent anymore. We respectfully ask that our colleagues in the majority who control the floor allow us the simple dignity of what we take an oath here for: a vote. ____________________
