Gun Violence Prevention

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, Tuesday night, I joined my fellow Rhode Islander, Representative Cicilline, at a vigil for the Pulse nightclub victims. On that night, we marked the 1-month anniversary of that tragic shooting with candles and with speeches.

But what we did not do, Mr. Speaker, is mark it with action. For that, I am profoundly sorry.

I am sorry that, despite our efforts, fear continues to rule this body. Republican leaders' fear of the gun lobby is so powerful that they won't even allow a debate or a vote on proposals supported by over 80 percent of the American people for expanded background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands or ensure that someone on a terrorist no-fly list can't buy a weapon.

Republicans won't allow a vote because they are afraid our commonsense proposals would pass and that they would be blamed for allowing a majority of the House to work its will, the will of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we stop legislating from fear. It is time that we stop the silence in response to tragedy and uphold the commitments that we made to represent our constituents and to keep them safe.

While the majority may hope that, by retreating to their districts, they will be able to dodge this issue, rest assured, we will not let them do so.

We are not going away on this issue, Mr. Speaker. We are going to keep fighting for expanded background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands, and we are going to keep fighting to ensure that someone on a terrorist no-fly list cannot buy a weapon.

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