Chip Roy: “I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, the Violence Against Women Act we are voting on…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, the Violence Against Women Act we are voting on this week is nearly unrecognizable from the legislation originally passed in 1994. Unfortunately, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have chosen to politicize and expand the legislation far beyond the original scope by adding controversial provisions that undermine the constitutional rights of Americans. In the name of protecting women, Democrats are exploiting this bill as an opportunity to assault the Second Amendment rights of American citizens. It is despicable that anyone would seize on this as such an opportunity to weaponize a measure that was intended to protect victims. This body is not meant to fulfill campaign promises that have nothing to do with the legislation allegedly before us. And let's make no mistake, that is what the purpose of this legislation is today. It is being structured intentionally. They are structuring it intentionally to be able to run campaign ads in districts back home, because you have got a piece of legislation that is titled the Violence Against Women Act. So let's just bury stuff in a bill that sounds good to the American people, but which then attacks our fundamental God-given rights reflected in the Bill of Rights. Now, the gentlewoman from Texas who just spoke, my friend from Texas, just spoke about fiddling while Rome burns.…”