Days on summer recess. During that time it, we have confronted great tragedy. Sadly, continuing tragedy. How may americans will lose ones lives or their loved to rapid gun violence before the United StatesSenate Takes Action . Than 9000s year, more thats in seven months have been killed by gun violence. That includes those killed and more than 250 mass shootings. The attacks in el paso and californiagilroy, and the violence all within ,bout seven days of one another 50 americans lost their lives to gun violence. Some five months ago, on february 27, 2019, the house of representatives passed a bill, 8, a bill that is supported by over 95 of americans. Sadly, it languishes. Solution to all of this violence . It is not. It because it is a significant and important step to take in the face of this violence. The house has acted. , past time, for the house to act. We have a sit in. , three years ago, on june 22, 2016. Believeat time, we 25,000 plus lives have been lost. I am going to introduce a young woman whose school was subjected to gun violence. Result, a young student, her friend, lost their lives. She died on march 20, 2018. Classmates, of her was one of those who thought silence and inaction was not enough. Jackson . Good morning. I am 18. I recently graduated in southern maryland. Onyou recognize my school, march, she was shot and killed. Our entire community was traumatized. Im here to represent the young people across america who have had their lives ripped apart by gun violence. Im here today to represent the young people who want change. I am here to tell senator mcconnell its time to take immediate action on gun violence. For laws, wetem need funding for the cdc to do their jobs and research gun violence. At this point, there are two options. Either the senate votes on this lifesaving legislation or we vote up those who stand in our way. Gun violence is a national crisis. They need to start acting like it. Thank you. She is a leader in march for our lives. Congressmantroduce donald payne of new jersey. Thank you for your leadership in bringing us here today. Good morning. Newark,ongressman from i come from a town that continues to suffer from this national plague of gun violence. I want to publicly offer my full support of the bipartisan background check act of 2019. Thisll make sure people who buy guns are lawabiding and loyal that gun owners are people who want to defend their families, not attack our citizens. Its a statement that my willagues in the congress not sit back and allow another dayton or el paso or any more shootings to happen without action. Lost inmourn those these all too frequent disasters. Its important to remember that while some cities suffer these tragedies occasionally, others suffer them daily. Returnedmany members to districts where gun violence is all too common. The rare exemption to find a family that has not been the victim of this national menace. Thats why i support this act so strongly. We need to know who is buying guns and why. We need to make sure that our are getting the opportunity to use guns in the proper manner. And not some psychopath. We need to show the country that our tolerance of gun violence is over. I would like to introduce a young man who has suffered this tragedy. Fortunately, he is here to speak on his own. Gregory jackson. Good afternoon. Im Gregory Jackson with the Community Justice fund. I want to thank the house of representatives are making such a strong stride forward to reduce violence. As many of you know, hundreds of thousands of people survive gun violence every year. We may think thats a small are thehat we dont see hours of therapy they go through, the trauma, the tears and their families eyes. The years of Emotional Trauma that happen with an act of violence. I grew up in rural virginia. A means to hunt. In 2013, i was struck down by a stray bullet when somebody tried to take my life. Hospital, is in the was able to get back on my feet. I am still dealing with it every day. Ive spoken to hundreds of survivors. We are waiting for congress to step up and do something. Day, we ares every losing people. We lost 10yearold walking across the street to gun violence. A 12yearold was shot down at a mcdonalds. Epidemic that is hitting people in our communities every day. I begged the senate to step up and do something, to push hr8 and strive to pass legislation that will prevent gun violence that is, ties in so many lives today. Thank you. Introduce the doctor. Congressman john dyer of virginia. Thank you. This is deadly serious. This is a typical day in the United States, there will be at least one mass shooting. They dont all make the national headlines, but they claim of huge toll on american life. Mitch mcconnell isnt doing anything about it. This is an because he doesnt know what the problem is. We know why he isnt here. He is waiting for the outrage to die down and the headlines to change and people to turn the page and think about something else. As he delays for people to lose interest, 100 americans are dying every day. Dr. Martin luther king junior told the crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial that weve come to this house about the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in coolingoff or gradualism. Now is the time to make real promises. The house has done its job to save these lives. Mitch mcconnell needs to do his. Theuld like to introduce assistant professor of surgery and chief of the division of acute care surgery at Johns Hopkins hospital. Violence,ictim of gun he spends his time as a researcher and advocate for the goal of reducing gun violence in america. He sees the wounds these bullets make every day. He brings together Health Care Providers to advocate for solutions to gun violence. Ofserves on the Board Directors for the brady campaign. Good morning. The majority leader for his leadership and the rest of his team for being here today. Just as afore you not survivor of gun violence or a brady board member. I am a trauma surgeon. As one of Many Health Care professionals, we are front and center in taking care of these patients day in and day out. This, overtake about the next decade, over one million americans will be shot. That doesnt even begin to tell the impact it has on society. Fathers, sisters, and brothers are devastated after this. Honest, theing Mainstream Media covers this issue around mass shootings. From blackoung men and brown communities that are injured and killed in cities like baltimore, chicago, philadelphia. Those stories often go untold. This is a complex health problem. There is no one solution. Its a multifaceted approach. The house has done their job. They passed hr8. Now, were calling on senator Mitch Mcconnell to take action. Time that we start approaching this issue as a uniquely american problem. Thats what it is. This is not a republican problem or a democrat problem. Its an american problem. Is it going to solve everything . No. Its a step in the right direction. It is critical. Since the brady bill has been firearms. 5 million have been capped out of the hands of people that should not have them, like felons, domestic abusers, those that are a danger to themselves. Toare calling on the senate have the moral courage to do the right thing. Americans are not going to stand on the sidelines of history. Thank you. Introduce thee to gentlewoman from michigan, who has been involved with issue perhaps longer than any of us. She and her husband have been outspoken advocates and we appreciate her coming from michigan to introduce one of our speakers and to give her testimony as well, urging mr. Mcconnell to act. You for your leadership. Thank you for holding this today. Weekend that is the most recent, weve seen 253 mass shootings. It was dearborn homecoming. Its a three day festival. Friday night, before the shooting, i served beer in the beer tent. A mother came and grabbed my hand and would not let it go. Daughter isme, my starting kindergarten this fall. She is five years old. About whether i buy her the backpack that she wants or a bulletproof backpack. Her daughter is on the autistic scale. She will never stay quiet in a closet. Im scared to death. You have to do something. You have to do something. Shooting, iter the was in the access tent. Americanrab organization. Little kids know me. They said to me, why do people hate us . Are we safe . Our children are going back to school in a couple of weeks. Some before labor day, some after. I should be answering questions of mothers of kindergartners or the children themselves about whether they are safe or if they are hated. Weve got to stop this partisan bickering. Cant he was one of the founders of the nra and a board member. Died, he said deborah, im proud of you. Times of change. We have to do something. To ourt keep going corners and not figured out what were going to do. The top 25 industrialized nation, 93 of the children between zero and 14 that are killed by guns are american children. The senate has got to come to the table. Weve got to start to do something so our kids can start school and not look at me and say are we safe . Why do people hate me . I am proud to introduce the Vice President of policy at brady, who comes to this issue because of his own family. His parents were shot. His mother was killed. Thank you for being here. I am the Vice President policy at brady. Parents were coming home and 2005 from eight vacation. They spent the weekend getting sunburn on a boat. Back, we came experienced what far too Many Americans experience every day. My dad was shot three times and survived his wounds. My mom was shot in killed with a single bullet to the back. She had begged for her life, was able to get up shotun before the bullet and killed her. She died before she hit the ground. Thats a nice sentiment. Not abstract to us. Its very real. Or anot just a statistic number on a sheet of paper. When we read about the 100 people who die every day, its real to us because its a life. Our lives will never be the same. Justiolence to me isnt the figures, i wont be able to call my mother at the end of this day. My mom will never know the joy of being a grandmother, she will never be able to hold one of her grandchildren. My violence to me is that on wedding day not only is my wife never going to have the opportunity to mow know the most wonderful woman, there was an empty chair i had to stare at as my wife walked down the aisle. This is not abstract. Conversation that is too soon or too early. It is way too late. We dont need action once recesses back. 2020nt need action in when we have potentially a new president or new congress. We need action right now. Mitch mcconnell has bills on his desk right now. Every day they are not signed into law, more people will experience what we have lived through every single day. Action, costhis in of not bringing these bills forward, its human lives. Its more children that will not be able to call their mother when they go home. Its more parents who will not be able to hold their children night when they come home. The time is now. A housethankful to have that is ready to take these steps. We need the senate to follow suit. Thank you very much. I would like to introduce Anthony Brown from maryland. He is a retired colonel. He knows a lot about guns and safety. Congressman Anthony Brown. Thank leaderke to lawyer for leading this. For leave us. I want to thank my colleagues. Iny have worked diligently their communities and in congress as we struggle with this effort to reduce gun violence in our communities. Survivorsthank the and family members. Sharing your tragedy and trauma, putting a face on the impact of what gun violence has on us as a nation. I thank you for being here today. Our gun violence problem as we all know is an epidemic. Shootings250 mass this year alone. Thousands,ens of 36,000 people shot and killed on average every year in this country. ,n the face of this epidemic Mitch Mcconnell is doing nothing. He wont even bring up a bipartisan solution we have passed over 165 days ago. Its now. The time for Mitch Mcconnell and President Trump to do something meaningful about gun violence in the United States. Meaningful action doesnt end with signing a bipartisan background check bill. Which is important. We must pursue a red flag law similar to what weve done in maryland, which empowers Law Enforcement to remove weapons from those who are a threat to themselves or others. Highcapacity magazines that allowed the dayton shooter to fire off tens of rounds in mere seconds. We have to ban assault weapons to get these weapons of war off our streets. Recently, someone have bill. Why do you i didnt come up with the idea. The day after the parkland President Trump said lets raise the age to 21, which is what the ages to buy a handgun from a federally registered dealer. Age tould we raise the 21 would weaken that 18yearolds fire and m16 machine gun or drive a tank in the military. Theres a real difference. In the military, we put weapons of war in the hands of everyone from age 18 to 60 because theyve got a job to do. A job to win the war and come home to their families and their country. The important thing is to come home to a country that is safe and secure. We made this nation safe and secure when we take weapons out of the hands of people who have no business having those weapons. In the military, we train and supervise. There is a real purpose. There is no purpose to have an ar15 with a 100 round capacity magazine. Theres a clear distinction. There is a clear distinction in the minds of the overwhelming majority of america. House have done some important work. We have sent one bill over to the senate. Theres a lot more we could send. This one,ts act on where there is almost universal consensus. In a calld here today for more action to improve Mental Health and Mental Health services, addressing assault weapons, highcapacity magazines, lets start with passing universal act around checks which has bipartisan support and a most universal support among the American Public. Its a real privilege for me to be here with my colleagues. Introduce dr. Wendy edmonds. She is my constituent. Fraser was oneia of 12 people murdered on september 16, 2013 at the Washington Navy yard. As an Information Assurance manager since 2000. She is a patriotic american dedicated to our country. Today with her family and serving her country. And she is not. Dr. Edmonds. I watched my sister sylvia move about the church gracefully as she put on a great memorable dance performance. When the program was over, she said im exhausted. I hugged her neck, kissed her on the cheek and said go on home, get some rest. Monday morning, september 16, 2013, i woke up, carried on with my usual routine preparing for work. It was a beautiful sunny day. My phone started ringing, consecutively and i found myself on Conference Calls with my sisters and brother talking about breaking news. There has been a shooting at the Washington Navy yard. That was where sylvia worked. Building 97. That was her building. We desperately tried to call her over and over again and by 1 00, we knew we had to go home and tell my mom and dad what was going on. We prayed, we hoped, we did everything we knew to do and that kind of situation and sometime around 9 30 that evening, my brother came home and he and my sister were at the nets stadium where people were being reunited with families and sylvia silvio shot was shot. She did not survive her injuries. She is home with the lord now. Those words changed our lives forever. My life and my family, we suffered permanent, brutal damage disconnection from sylvia. After ie, for weeks could look in the mirror and i could see my body and i could not file. It took every thing out of me to understand that my sister sylvia and her 11 coworkers did not stand a chance. They did not stand a chance because sylvia was gunned down by a man who was carrying a remington 870 express shotgun that he acquired days before. Every time i turn on the news and i hear about a mass shooting or shooting in general, i cry, because i know the pain and that pain never goes away. Iis why a support support the gun prevention measures. Just common sense gun prevention measures. You have heard about sylvia and no part of our story. At what point are you outraged Senate Leader mcconnell . When will you be moved beyond following such a toxic decision to remain silent on legislation passed by the house in february . When will you invigorate a courageous move and bring hr 8 to the floor . When will that take place . We must stand for those who have gone on before us and for those who are here now because unfortunately, we are all subject to mass shootings. So Senate Leader mcconnell, you are overdue. It is time to lead the senate to pass hr 8. Thank you. I want to thank all of the speakers and my colleague, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee. He does not have something to introduce but represent millions of people subject to gun violence on a daily basis. The statistics are stark. The statistics are daily occurrences. Courage. Summons the ive been in politics for a long time. Put ons no courage to the senate floor a bill that is supported by 90 plus percent of americans. Courage is to look a special Interest Group in the eye and say enough is enough. It is time to act. Poets of oureat poem bob dylan, wrote a called blowin in the wind. ,ung by peter, paul and mary who sang at that march on washington in 1963. I want to read you six lines from that poem. Many times must a cannonballs fly before they are forever banned . How many times can a man turn pretend that he just didnt see . Takeany deaths will it that too many eople have died . The song says the answer my friend is blowin in the wind. Say the answer my fellow citizens is in the house of representatives. And we have acted. Citizens, my fellow is in the United States senate and the courage to summon up senator mcconnell, the willingness to put one small answer on the floor. Observed, more needs to be done. This is a start. A consensus start, a start with the overwhelming number of americans support. Minutes, the United States senate will have what we call a pro forma session , that is not a session to act. Simply havenot to silence. The time is not simply for reflection. The time is not for a moment of senate, the time for the is to act, the time for the senate in the house and the white house to act. The time is to listen to the American People. I rode home from israel on a plane late sunday night into monday and the pilot of that plane came back to my seat and said i dont know much about politics, i dont get involved said, buts, he something needs to be done. Action needs to be taken. For those children of which she spoke. Sister, whothat lost their lives. Time, senator mcconnell, is to act. 8 to the floor. Now. The overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens believe that is children,make their their husbands, their wives, their sisters, their brothers, their fellow americans safe. That is why we come here today. And that is what we will be demanding tomorrow and tomorrow into tomorrow. The House Judiciary Committee and they areg back going to address this issue. We have acted, they have acted, and we passed a bill which americans believe is one part of the answer. We are here to urge senator mcconnell to bring that bill to the floor. And urge every senator to listen to those 95 of americansmcconno the floor. Who say everybody ought to be checked, no loopholes. Lets catch every terrorist to want to buy a gun, lets catch every criminal who wants to buy a gun, lets catch anybody who has a Mental Health problem that wants to buy a gun. No loopholes, everybody. Why . Because that makes common sense. Is in theat hr 8 American People know it is common sense. Thank you very much. How concerned are you each day that is passed, the urgency may wane . You, all of us standing here have been urging this for a long time. Saw over 50ago, we americans lose their lives at a nightclub. The house to act in the senate to act, both controlled by the other party. No action was taken. We were in charge for a little over 30 days when we passed hr 8. It is a time for action and the American People, that pilot i talked to who came up to me, knew who i was and came up and said congressman, when are we going to do something . I dont know what the answer is, i dont think there is an answer, but not to act is irresponsible. I hope the American Public every day, when one person loses their lives, it doesnt get a lot of coverage. If we had a moment of silence for every american lost their life, we wouldnt be able to do anything else. Act. Need to we wont act perfectly, we want act in a way that stops all of this from happening, but not to refusal to meet our responsibilities to the American People. What do you explain to the public the right now one senator , Mitch Mcconnell, has the power to bring this type of legislation to a vote in the senate . The person who needs to explain that is senator mcconnell. I think the American People need to be outraged by that refusal to bring a bill supported by 90 of the American People to the floor for consideration. But not to bring it to the floor is an abdication of his responsibility to the American People. Will you look to the any appropriations process to put some kind of we will take every opportunity we can to ensure that at least this step and more are taken. We can do what we can do, we cannot force senator mcconnell to do something. The other 99 United States senators can force him to do something. And i would urge them to do so. We dont necessarily have to take that on appropriation bill. That poison pill was asked of that process and the appropriations process alone. There are many other ways we can act and we should. Another developing has happened, a majority of your caucus supports moving forward with impeachment inquiries. This is not about the house do you agree with that . I want to stay focused. I want to stay focused. I want to tell people, there is grassroots support across this country. , thesunday in every state brady group, other gun groups that will hold a rally in every single state, so those that care, though that want people to hear that they give get out there and show them, tell your senators it is time to act. Lets show that Grassroots Movement from one coast to another and the heart of the midwest. Lets stay focused. Thank you very much. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2019] hr 8 should be passed and we billsonsider many eligible for the floor the Judiciary Committee considers and passes out. We want to focus. The United States senate would refuse to consider legislation which says that terrorists cant get guns or criminals cant get guns or domestic abusers cant get guns. That is the first litmus test of what we can say any common sense action. The House Democrats wrapping up their briefing. We will have it Available Online shortly at cspan. Org. Later, more campaign 2020 coverage with democratic president ial candidate pete buttigieg. He stopped the south bend, indiana mayor will attend the iowa state fair and is excited to make remarks of the Des Moines Register booth at 2 30 eastern. President trump returns the campaign trail with a rally in manchester, New Hampshire live thursday at 7 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan. You can watch online a