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Floor Speech

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Mr. WARNOCK. Mr. President, I rise today because we are living in a nation besieged by gun violence.

So far this year, our Nation has experienced 630 mass shootings. This is day No. 340 in the year 2023, so 340 days, 630 mass shootings. That is nearly twice as many mass shootings as we have seen days. Our precious children are afraid to go to school. They are worried that their classroom may be the next Robb Elementary, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, or Sandy Hook, as we remember that somber anniversary.

I heard one of my colleagues, the Senator from Wyoming, earlier today say: They are trying to take our freedoms away. We have heard that a lot from folks on the other side: They are trying to take our freedoms away. It is a strange freedom that regularly sends our children into lockdown. What kind of freedom is that?

According to the Gun Violence Archive, we have lost over 1,500 children to gun violence this year. I think that there is a kind of unspoken assumption, as we have been pushing for commonsense gun safety and have gotten very little movement in Congress--I think the unspoken assumption is that this will not visit me; it will not happen to my family. But when you consider that there have been 630 mass shootings already this year, sadly, the chances are quite good that this could visit any one of us.

We ought to do our work here in the Congress as if we are protecting our own families because when we look out for other people's families, when we look out for other people's children, we look out for our own, and it could visit any one of us.

We act as if this is normal, business as usual. What legislative action has the Senate passed to address this epidemic of gun violence? The Senate actually voted to give less information--less information-- to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Keep in mind that according to a 2023 FOX News poll, 87 percent of Americans believe that we ought to have universal background checks. Listen. Let me say that again. According to a FOX News poll, 87 percent of Americans believe that we ought to have universal background checks. So they present this as if it is an argument between Democrats and Republicans. Really, it is an argument between Washington and craven politicians and ordinary people every day who are just trying to live their lives in safety.

There is a broadening gap between what Americans want and what they can get from their government. So, at root, this is a democracy problem. The question is, Who owns our democracy and at what cost to our children and to our families? So we have a moral obligation not to turn away.

Across the country, outside of Washington, there is widespread agreement that Congress needs to enact commonsense--commonsense--gun safety solutions. Eighty-seven percent of Americans believe that we ought to have universal background checks.

Every day, I hear from Georgians who are sick and tired of losing people they love to gun violence. As a pastor, I presided over the funerals. And it begs me to ask, how is it that we can't keep our own people alive? What kind of Nation tells its children that the only thing we can do in the wake of this crisis is to teach you how to hide?

Last year, for the first time in 30 years, we were able to pass modest but meaningful gun safety legislation, but it is not nearly enough, and it took 30 years just to do that.

We are all set to go home later this month to spend a few weeks-- safely, I hope--with our loved ones. I encourage all of my colleagues to reflect on this question: Are we going to let other people's loved ones continue to die by the tens of thousands and let our babies get killed in their classrooms for another 30 years before we choose to act?

The time is always right to do what is right, Dr. King taught us, and that time is now.

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