Bonnie Watson Coleman: “Congressman, thank you for taking your time and sharing with us. We are all familiar with the phrase, ``putting your…”

“Congressman, thank you for taking your time and sharing with us. We are all familiar with the phrase, ``putting your money where your mouth is.'' Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago we voted for a bill to fund government programs and extend tax cuts. While that bill was an important step forward compromise, it was far from perfect. It put our environment at risk by selling petroleum overseas and made countless tax breaks for multinational corporations and special interests permanent. Although it did extend programs like the child tax credit, it didn't do nearly enough to protect working families or ensure a bright future for our Nation. We are in a new year, and we have got a chance for a fresh start, so let's make affordable child care part of that new start. Mr. Speaker, I want to switch gears now and discuss an equally important topic that those in control of this House have tried to ignore, a topic that the President took action on this week. Gun violence is one of the greatest challenges this Nation faces. Over the past 10 years, we have lost more than 100,000 people to guns. Millions more have been victims of assaults, of robberies, and of other crimes where a gun was involved, and many of the individuals in possession of these weapons shouldn't have had them in the first place.…”