HSA Technical Corrections Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me just say this: I am not sure if the gentleman from Texas, a dear friend, was asking us to get rid of the no-fly list or the watch list.

Our point today, Mr. Speaker, is very narrow. We are just asking that terrorists not be able to walk into a gun shop and buy a gun. This is a loophole that is most glaring. Eighty percent of the American people believe that this is impossible; it must not be true. We are trying to prevent suspected terrorists from walking into a gun store and buying a deadly weapon.

The investigation, tragically, in California is not yet finished, so we don't have the final answer as to what would have prevented that. But it is astonishing that the loophole has allowed more than 2,000 suspects on the FBI terrorist watch list to buy guns in the U.S. over the past 11 years.

When I started this debate, I was happy that we had come to the floor to deal with Homeland Security bills. The American people want the homeland safe and secure. They don't want demagoguery. They want safety and security.

Legislation blocking terrorists from getting guns makes America no more safer and secure than apple pie. This is a time when more than 90 percent of all suspected terrorists who tried to buy guns in America walked away and bought them. They got the weapon they wanted. This is not criminals, gangs, or others. We are dealing with those individuals who are terrorists. They have the right to get a gun.

Can we do something this week, Mr. Speaker? Can we add to the safety and security of the American people? As we pass this bill, H.R. 3859, which I applaud its correcting technicalities, can we join together and can we pass closing the gun loophole that allows terrorists to go and buy a gun to terrorize innocent Americans? I think we can do better.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I started by saying that the American people are looking to us to secure the homeland.

As we look at these series of bills that we have on the floor, H.R. 3859 is a technical corrections bill. This is a bill that should be passed. Americans expect clarity from this body. Clarity from this body means that at the same time as we pass H.R. 3859, we should also be concerned about making sure that we close gun show loopholes so as to avoid having terrorists buy guns.

I believe that that is the appropriate and direct way to handle this question of securing the Nation. Do the obvious to secure the Nation: stop terrorists from getting guns.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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