Jake Auchincloss: “I thank my colleague for yielding and for convening this critically important Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding and for convening this critically important Special Order hour. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the plague of gun violence in our country. I was asked recently whether January 6, 2021, was my worst day in Congress, and I answered truthfully that no, it wasn't, actually. My worst day in Congress was the night of the Uvalde shooting when I tucked my children into bed knowing that families in Texas would never get to do the same again, when at that very moment, they were identifying them by their shoes. I am sad to say that since then, my Republican colleagues have continued to bow to the will of the gun lobby instead of listening to families across the country who are begging for action. This uniquely American suffering is a policy choice. It doesn't have to be this way. We know what we need to do to fix it. We need to pass the assault weapons ban. I slept, ate, trained, and patrolled with an assault weapon for 4 years as a marine officer. Weapons of war have no place on our streets or near our schools. We also need to adopt commonsense gun safety measures like universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and evidence-driven violence intervention policies. All of these are supported by a supermajority of Americans and, indeed, by a majority of gun owners. My home State of Massachusetts is a good example of how strong, sound policy can save lives.…”