Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, a recently released Violence Project study has found that more than half of all mass shootings between 1966 and 2019 occurred since 2000. There have been more and more shootings. It is getting worse and worse. Mass shootings have occurred in the workplace, on college campuses, in our houses of worship, and in our schools. We must do better. These shootings cut off young lives and devastate families. We owe it to the victims to do more to combat gun violence in our communities. We owe it to Joaquin Oliver. Joaquin was 17 years old when he was shot and killed with an assault rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This is Joaquin. But this symbol of Joaquin is also an assault rifle. You see, this is an assault rifle that was purchased by Joaquin's dad, Manny, without a background check. Manny went to a gun show in Florida and bought a high-powered rifle without a background check. Then he went home, and he melted it down to make this statue of his son, who was killed by a similar weapon in his school on Valentine's Day. This statue of Joaquin is now a powerful reminder of our weak gun laws and the countless American lives that have been stolen, families broken by gun violence. When Manny went to a gun show, the seller pushed him to buy the rifle, to buy ammunition, to buy a high-capacity magazine, all at one time, without a background check. And Manny wondered, what's the rush? What is the rush?…”