On the recordFebruary 27, 2019
Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, we have heard the other side here say that some people lie on the forms; they are not prosecuted. Well, that may be, and maybe law enforcement ought to prosecute more people. That doesn't negate the necessity for the bill. It doesn't negate the fact that too many people who shouldn't have guns, who are mentally unstable, who have committed crimes, and who are abusers get guns because they buy a gun at a gun show or not from a registered gun dealer and, therefore, do not have to undergo a background check. Everyone who gets a gun should have to undergo a background check, with the few exceptions we put in the bill. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 8 is legislation that is long overdue for passage by this body and for enactment so that we can take a critical step overwhelmingly supported by the American people to protect us from gun violence. We have had too many moments of silence, too many expressions of sympathy, too many deaths--39,000 deaths from guns last year--but little action here in Congress on this issue. Today we act. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this vital bill to start taking back our streets from the killers, to start blocking people who shouldn't have them from having guns. Save our lives. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
