Mr.

Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House,

We have heard many words in this Chamber about the

importance of civility and rational discourse, most recently as it

applies to gun policy. We fully embrace these principles, but I

also hope we will not confuse a call for civility as an excuse for

inaction.

Few of us can truly understand the horror and sorrow of

losing a loved one to gun violence. As I think most of us know,

there are several of our colleagues who have experienced this

tragedy. For them, and for increasing numbers in this country

who have experienced the horror of gun violence, the pain and

sorrow never goes away. And they are losing patience with us

politicians and with the frequently recited refrain that our thoughts

and prayers are with them.

It is not that they reject this sentiment; they want our

thoughts and prayers. They want a President who is a

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healer-in-chief. They want their elected leaders to express an

understanding of their pain. But words are no longer enough.

They want action.

And while most understand that there are no simple

answers, many in the public feel that we are not even addressing

the issues, or worse yet, embracing the cynical and defeating

notion that nothing can or should change.

Mr. Speaker, when people interested in gun safety talk to me

about what’s going on here, and I explain to them how bill after bill

after bill related to gun safety go to die in a small stacked

non-proportional subcommittee, they ask why and they get angry.

They know that the shooter in Las Vegas would not have

killed as many had he not used a bumpstock – hardly something

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you need for hunting or self defense. And when I tell them that

there was a bill that would have outlawed bumpstocks which was

defeated in a partisan vote in a small committee, they ask why.

And they get angry.

They know that the shooter in Florida had an AR-15 and was

under 21 when he bought it. They have seen the video and heard

the sounds of rapid-fire terror and carnage. Hardly a weapon for

hunting.

And when I tell them about bills that failed here that would

have made it more difficult for young people to purchase such an

assault weapon, they ask why. And they get angry.

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 And when I tell them that many in this body were on the cusp

of voting to permit guns to be carried into churches, they ask why.

And they get more angry.

They hear the claims about so-called “deranged” people who

are held responsible for recent gun violence, even though most

mentally ill people do not commit mass murder and do not have

access to the weapons of mass carnage. And when they hear we

had a bill which could have given us a tool to address this

problem that was not even considered, they ask why and they get

angry.

Defenders of the NRA and the gun lobby try to make this

debate about our citizens’ ability to own a gun. But it has never

really been about that. Such a claim is an illusion and the edifice

that has been constructed to support it is now collapsing under

the weight of event after tragic event.

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 If we want to have a rational and reasonable discussion

about gun safety – let’s have it. We can do it here. Here is our

challenge to you. Let’s take 3 proposals recently advanced by

lawmakers in other states, Florida included. Ban bump stocks?

What about a bill to prevent those under 21 from buying an AR-

15? And here’s one more, a creative option supported by the

National Review whereby families or law enforcement concerned

about the mental health of an individual and their access to guns

can ask for a restraining order to temporarily take away the

weapon until the danger subsides. Could this have stopped Cho

at Virginia Tech or Dillon Root in Charleston or the Pulse Night

Club shooter? If we are truly being honest with ourselves, we

would have to admit that the answer to this is YES. A bill like this

was introduced by Delegate Sullivan. It lies slumbering in the

Courts committee – with no hearing.

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 You say the word, we can resurrect that bill – or the other

two I discussed, or other gun safety measures that you might

want. But we can’t do it alone. If you tell us you want to do this,

we can consider those bills, and our constituents can see our

rational debate and discourse – not in a small committee, but on

the floor of the House. And they will see how we vote and judge

whether we have truly dealt with one of the most significant

problems our country faces today.

We will need you, Mr. Speaker. And we will need the leaders

and members of both parties – in both bodies. That is the only

way we can get any of these measures passed.

Thank You, Mr. Speaker.