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Terrorist Watch List

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 7, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Guns

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I take seriously my responsibility to protect and defend the American people.

That is why it is so troubling to me that Republicans in Congress last week voted three times to block debate on a bill, offered by Republican Congressman Peter King, that would close a loophole that allows suspects on the FBI's terrorist watch list to buy assault weapons.

The shocking truth is that, according to the GAO, more than 2,000 suspects on the FBI's terrorist watch list tried to buy weapons in the U.S. over the last 11 years; 91 percent of them walked away with a weapon.

With all of the threats and dangers that we face, this loophole should be closed. We should make it harder for suspected terrorists to buy assault weapons, not easier.

Mr. Speaker, 80 percent of gun owners support keeping guns away from people on the terror watch list. Yet Republicans in Congress and the NRA continue to block commonsense bills to do what? To allow suspected terrorists to purchase weapons? Congress needs to act to protect the American people and close this dangerous loophole.

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