On the recordJuly 5, 2016
When this House last convened, a number of us were willing to sit in, in order to stand up--to stand up to the gun lobby, to stand up against gun violence. During our protest, House Republicans fled Washington, rather than face accountability on gun safety, leaving behind significant unfinished business. During the past week, many of us across the country have joined neighbors in a national day of action against gun violence. I joined over 100 people in San Antonio, gathering with Patricia Castillo with the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative, Jamie Ford with Moms Demand Action, and State Senator Jose Menendez. On a hot afternoon in Austin, Texas, more than 100 of us also gathered with Mayor Steve Adler, Andrea Brauer from Texas Gun Sense, members of the Austin City Council, State Representative Donna Howard, and other elected officials, all asking this Congress to respond to the horrific wave of gun carnage that threatens the security of our families. Each of these gatherings included powerful testimony from family tragedies and losses as a result of guns. After the mass murders in Orlando and San Bernardino, carried out by individuals professing a twisted version of Islam, the most obvious next step is to question why, if someone is too dangerous to get on an airplane with you, they ought to be able to buy as many assault weapons as they would like?…





