On the recordMarch 10, 2021
There is a rampaging public health emergency that has been with us for far too long. And there have been countless chilling examples of what happens when we fail to act, or only take half measures, anodyne placebos. Each time, more lives are lost. Moreover, we have seen a particular community unjustly suffer scorn for this emergency. They have been scapegoated rather than recognized as the fellow victims of this crisis. But there is no question that the harms of this crisis haven't fallen evenly, and the disparate harm offers all the more reason for actual solutions, not mere talk. By now, my colleagues know that I am not talking about COVID. I am referring to gun violence. Today, the most commonsense, broadly popular, and impactful thing that we can do is pass H.R. 8, and bolster our pitifully weak background check system in the United States. Keeping deadly weapons out of the hands of those fueled by hate is as common sense as it gets. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 8.
