CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Jackie Speier

Interview

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Let's turn back now to America's gun violence epidemic. With me tonight, one of the few members of Congress who knows what it's like to survive a mass shooting. That is now Representative Jackie Speier of California -- take a look right here -- laying wounded in 1978 after being left for dead in the ambush near Jonestown Guyana. Speier was shot five times at point-blank range with an assault rifle. Look at this picture.

She was working with Congressman Leo Ryan who went there to investigate the people's temple. He was murdered in the ambush, along with three American journalists, before 900 followers of a madman would be forced to die by suicide.

Congresswoman, thank you so much for being here.

REP. JACKIE SPEIER (D-CA): Thank you, Pamela.

BROWN: That introduction I just read is all too familiar to you. In fact, much of this must seem so familiar, the shock, the outrage, the demand for change. So, after 45 mass shootings in 30 days, does anything change this time?

SPEIER: You know, I hate to say this, but I don't think so. And we have come to a point in this country where we're just numb. When you think about it, there's already been 12,000 people that have died by bullets in this country so far this year. We've already had 140 mass shootings. One of the statistics that absolutely sends shimmers up and down my

spine is the fact that 91 percent of children under the age of 15 who are killed by bullets live in the United States.

When are we going to do just the same kinds of things like making sure that people that shouldn't have guns, people who are felons, people who have mental health issues and people who have been convicted of domestic violence, when are we going to say that not only is that true when you go to a gun store, it's true when you go to a gun show, when you buy a gun online, when you buy a gun from another person.

And now we have the growth of what we call "ghost guns".

[20:10:02]

But they're not ghost guns. They're real guns. They're do-it-yourself guns where you buy the parts online. And we have 10,000 of them now in this country and there's no way of tracking them.

BROWN: So, let's talk about that. You mentioned one of the executive actions on gun violence that President Biden had rolled out just ten days ago. Let's put them on the screen for the viewers. Let's see.

There are several efforts that they did. I want to see if you look at these efforts that the Biden administration has taken within the limitations they have, obviously, do they go far enough, is it just the most he thinks he can get done without a fight from the GOP? What do you think?

SPEIER: Well, these are executive orders that he can do without the support from Congress, without Congress passing legislations. So it is -- it is a good start. It's a good intention, but we have an obligation and we absolutely must do the right thing.

Now, we passed HR-8. It's a comprehensive background check bill that looks at those three issues. And yet, there's a reluctance in the Senate to even take it up.

I guess my challenge to my Republican colleagues, if you say you don't want to have felons have guns or persons who have mental health issues, then show us a bill. Show us a bill that you can support that's going to close those loopholes.

It's already the law in this country. We just have to make it work for the 21st century.

BROWN: Right.

SPEIER: When that law was first passed, there wasn't online sales of anything. There weren't gun shows.

BROWN: So, let's talk about that, because your fellow Democrat over in the Senate, Chris Murphy, thinks the only thing they can get done is the more narrow version of the universal background checks bill that clear the House. With the 50-50 split in the Senate, and your moderate colleague Joe Manchin's views on gun rights and bipartisanship, should Democrats settle for just getting something passed even if it isn't enough in your mind then?

SPEIER: I absolutely think we should get something passed. You know, there are over 20 million guns in this country now that have not been subject to background checks. That should frighten all of us. And we know that gun sales jump when there is a mass shooting or the incidents of COVID. When people feel insecure, they buy guns.

I don't want to buy a gun. I want to be able to go to church. I want to be able to go to the grocery store, and I want to be able to go to the movies and not be afraid that I'm going to be slaughtered.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Let me ask you, I think every American wants to be able to run errands and live their lives and not worry about getting shot, which is why it is so frustrating to sit back and see these mass shootings happen and nothing get done in Congress. And I know as a Democratic congresswoman who has supported gun legislation, these House bills who want to get something done, it's frustrating for you.

But what -- do you think Democrats and Republicans need to be talking more? Do you think that will do anything if more Democrats reached across the aisle and talked to their Republican colleagues and said, hey, let's talk about this, let me hear your views, I want you to hear mine, let's figure something out.

SPEIER: I think that it is so embedded now in the Republican Party that Republicans who want to do the right thing, who know we should be doing something, are afraid to do anything for fear of being primaried. It's all about self-preservation.

I mean, I can't tell you how despondent I am now. When I was in the state legislature in California, I carried the assault weapon ban on the assembly side. It was passed by both houses. It led to then Republican Governor Pete Wilson and it was signed into law.

We have lost the rationality that used to exist between Republicans and Democrats, doing the right thing so people are safe. Even though 90 percent of the American people, when you explain to them what we're trying to do, appreciate it and want to have that safety, want to know that a felon can't get a gun. But they can get a gun.

BROWN: Yeah, it's just so frustrating, and as a journalist who has just covered these mass shootings time and time and time again and has had these conversations time and time and time again, it is just frustrating. I imagine I'm echoing the frustration of people at home too, whether it's, you know, the gun reform legislation and mental health reform, all of that together. It needs to be looked at. Something needs to be done.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier, thank you for coming on the show.

SPEIER: My pleasure. Thank you.

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