Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great passion and urgency to talk about our need, as Members of Congress, to strengthen our Nation's gun violence prevention laws. Last night at the State of the Union, President Obama said it best--gun violence victims deserve a vote. From Newtown to Aurora, Oak Creek to Tucson and Blacksburg--these victims deserve a vote. Every day in this country, men, women and children die from gun violence. It doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to live in fear when we send our children to school. I'm proud to be a member of the House Democratic Task Force on Reducing and Preventing Gun Violence. Last week, we issued a series of commonsense priorities that could make the difference in preventing future gun violence. One of the most basic priorities is implementing universal background checks. It is the only way to ensure that people who are legally barred from owning a gun are prevented from buying a gun. Right now, the law is voluntary--someone who fears failing a background check can simply avoid it by acquiring a gun from a private seller. Another commonsense measure is a bill I introduced, the Fire Sale Loophole Closing Act, that prevents gun dealers whose licenses were revoked from reclassifying their inventory as personal and then selling the same guns as a private seller. We have to close these loopholes. These practices of getting around the law need to stop.…”