The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Nadler i yield myself such time as i may consume. Mr. Speaker, today we take another step to advance historic gun violence prevention legislation. H. R. 1808, the assault weapons ban act of 2022, restores and updates the prior assault weapons ban that kept weapons of war out of our communities for a decade before republicans opposed its renewal. As we have learned all too well in recent year, assault weapons, especially when combined with high capacity magazine are the weapon of choice for Mass Shootings. These militarystyle weapons are designed to kill the most people in the shortest amount of time. Quite simply, there is no place for them in our streets. In 1994 we banned these killing machines and countless lives were saved. But that ban was allowed to lapse 10 years later. Since then, we have seen the predictable results. Mass shootings have increased exponentially, in our public spaces, school, Movie Theaters, houses of worship, parades, you name have, have all become vulnerable to attack. Uvalde, parkland, tree of life synagogue, how many more Mass Shootings must we endure . When will we learn . Well, i hope were starting to learn today. I hope were starting to learn today indeed. The assault weapons ban would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. At the same time, it grandfathers existing semiautomatic assault weapons and contains numerous protections for Law Enforcement and responsible gun owners. Including hunters, gun collector, farmers, sport shooters and those who use firearms for selfdefense. It is important to consider todays debate in the context of our other efforts to address the violence plaguing our communities. Time and again, democrats have advanced responsible gun safety legislation, only to face republican opposition. We have advanced legislation to conduct background checks for all gun sales. To close the charleston loophole. To close the boyfriend loophole. And to keep guns away from those who are a danger to themselves or others. We advanced my bill, the protecting our kids act, and we sent the president the bipartisan Safer Communities act. Which was signed into law and will save lives. These proposals were opposed by all but a few of our republican colleagues. Today, they have another chance to take the action needed to make our communities safer. Will they stand with us . Will they show that they have learned . Or will they stand with an industry that right no now is promoting a weapon to civilians as pow thats powerful enough to shoot through bulletproof vie vests . Will our republicans choose to defend the weapons of choice for mass murderers and those who seek to target law enforce. , or choose to defend americans who want to go to school, go shop, march in a parade or go to a Movie Theater without the fear of having a target on their back. Its an easy choice for me. I want to thank congressman cicilline for his leadership on this important legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. I reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Jordan for years the democrats told us, were not coming for your guns. Yes they are. The Second Amendment as clear as possible. Thats their beef, the Second Amendment says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed but they dont care. In fact the sponsor of this legislation said so in committee. He said, quote, spare me the b. S. About Constitutional Rights. They dont care about that fundamental liberty, lawabiding citizens in this country enjoy. And theyre coming for your firearms. Six weeks ago, it was the red flag law. You know, where someone who doesnt like you can report you to Law Enforcement or to a judge, theres a hearing that you cant be at, your counsel cant be present, you havent been charged with a crime but they can take your firearm. They can take your property. They can take away your Second Amendment liberties and then you have to petition for a subsequent hearing to get that right back and you have done nothing wrong and have not been charged with a crime. Then House Democrats passed the unconstitutional legislation that said 18 to 20yearolds cant purchase a firearm. They can fight for our country but they cant purchase a firearm. And today, today theyre coming for your guns. 24 million of them. Thats right. 24 million a rferstyle rifles are in the hands of lawabiding americans too as we speak and those vines will not be able to sell or transfer that property. In the healther case the in the heller case the Supreme Court made clear the Second Amendment protects firearms in common use at the time. During the markup, representative bishop asked the chairman, quote, is it the point of the bill to ban weapons that are in common use in the United States today . And the chairman said the problem is that they are in common use. Yes, thats so this is the goal. This is why its unconstitutional. Couldnt be any clearer. Democrats dont care what the constitution says. Fortunately, courts are correctly applying the constitution. Last week a Federal District court judge in colorado, who was appointed by president obama, issued a temporary restraining order against the town of superior, colorado, to prevent it from implementing an assault weapon ban. The judge wrote, plaintiffs have stated that semiautomatic weapons, as well as magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, are commonly used by lawabiding citizens for lawful purposes. And therefore cannot be banned. Guess what this bill will do . It wont make communities safer, wont make them safer at all. In fact, in the heller case, the Supreme Court said, Second Amendment protects firearms in common use at the time and also said this, quote, for lawful purposes like selfdefense. Three weeks ago. Three weeks ago. July 7, 2022. A florida homeowner used his arstyle rifle when individuals entered his home. After the homeowner opened fire the individuals fled. When asked if the homeowner would face charge, the county sheriff said absolutely not, the homeowner is protecting himself and in florida you can do that. You can protect yourself. Democrats tried to ban before. It didnt work. It wont work now. And you know what it will do . Itll make communities, i think, less safe. What will make communities safer though is if democrats stop defunding the police, stop cashless bail, start prosecuting criminals. Theyre taking away firearms used for selfdefense by lawabiding americans. This bill is wrong. It will make communities, i think, less safe and its unconstitutional. Mr. Speaker, we reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the distinguished speaker of the house, the gentlelady from california, ms. Poe pelosi. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from california, ms. Pelosi, is recognized for one minute. The speaker thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his great leadership. Mr. Speaker, each year, more children die from gun violence than any other cause. Cancer, auto accidents, any other cause. Our nation has watched in unspeakable horror as assault weapons have been used in massacre after massacre, in communities across the country. And disturbingly, so many of these Mass Shootings have targeted our precious children. In their schools, at the movies, at the malls, and throughout our communities. That is why i rise today in strong support and reinstating the assault weapons ban along a long overdue step to get deadry Deadly Weapons off our streets. Make no mistake, we know that an assault weapon ban can work because it has worked before. For 10 years, from 1994 to 2004, our families were protected by strong assault weapon ban, strongly championed in the senate by thensenator, nowpresident joe biden. Chuck schumer led the way over here. Diane feinstein in the senate. I was a relatively new member of this congress who was whipping this legislation. It made us all very, very proud. More importantly, it saved many lives. During that time, we witnessed gun crime with assault weapons drop by up to 40 . Let me repeat. Gun violence with assault weapons reduced by 40 . 5,esned b a advertia socled smaller s, ar5, wch has beed tomurder so me this. Ate ariends the manufacturer stated their goal was to develop a shooting platform that was not only sized correctly, but also looks, feels and operates just like mom and dads gun. Mom and dads gun. They use that expression. Indeed, gun maker launched at jr15 and said, quote, were excited to start capturing the imagination of the next generation. Indeed, this callousness is disgusting. Its despicable. And it reminds us that the crisis of gun violence requires action. To the families who are survivors and have suffered from gun violence, we have said over and over again, we will not stop until the job is done. We thank them for turning their sorrow, their sorrow, to help others prevent others from suffering in that way. Theyve turned their agony into action. Now, we were saying we were going from newton to uvalde, everything in between, and since, theres so many deaths, so much sorrow, so much hope that we would get the job done. They are so responsible for our bringing this legislation to the floor. Their outside mobilization, their advocacy with great, great, great intellectual integrity has made all the difference. Today House Democrats will vote to reinstate the assault weapons ban with strong protections for children and families. The bill prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons, as well as highcapacity magazines. And, contrary to what the gentleman on the other side of the aisle said, it requires safe storage for lawfully owned assault weapons already in our communities. Its not about taking guns away from people who should have them. Its about safe storage. You have a problem with that . And it strongly supports our Law Enforcement who are heroes, who should not have to confront weapons designed for the battlefield, instead in our dmeunts communities. To be clear, this is a very special day in the congress of the United States, one designed to save lives. For his passionate, persistent leadership on this legislation, met salute congressman let me salute congressman david cicilline. Who has been fighting ferociously on this issue for years and years. To lucy mcbath, who has been, again, a member of the committee of jurisdiction and intellectual resources, strategic thinker, and inspiration to all of us, who turned her personal grief into action. And makes a difference. And thank you, chairman jerry nadler, chair of the Judiciary Committee, for steering this legislation through the Judiciary Committee and to the floor. And also i want to recognize once again president joe bidens longtime leadership on this issue and the beautiful words he expressed about this when we were celebrating the bipartisan safety bill recently. Mr. Speaker, all those who have had the privilege of serving in this hallowed halls take a solemn oath to the American People. At the heart of our oath is our duty to protect and defend. To protect and defend the constitution, the American People. With this legislation we honor this foremost responsibility. And when the house returns in august, we will bring to the floor a robust Public Safety package beyond this. Let me be clear. House democrats are for people over politics. And say to our friends in this body, and down the hall, and wherever they are, your political survival is insignificant compared to the survival of children who are at the mercy of these guns. We believe that every american deserves to live in a Safe Community where they and their families can thrive. Thats why democrats are funding our police, while making reforms for better Law Enforcement training and accountability, as we give them the tools, the police the tools they need to prevent crime. We are so proud of the work done by c. B. C. Chair joyce beatty, working with representatives josh gottheimer, and ms. Spanberger to make historic to write historic legislation that has prioritizing meeting the needs of our Law Enforcement officers while at the same time having accountability, having accountability. That is historic. We havent passed that before. And im more confident than ever that we will pass a package rooted in two of the democrats most cherished values. Justice and safety. I urge my colleagues to support the assault weapons ban, recognizing, again, that the survival of our children is more important than the political survival of any of us. And with that, i urge a strong and hopefully bipartisan vote to put people over politics, by reinstating the assault weapon ban. And i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from north carolina, mr. Hudson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Housing and urban development mr. Speaker mr. Hudson mr. Speaker, i rise today in opposition to h. R. 1808, the assault weapons ban of 2022. Here they go again. Once again, my colleagues across the aisle have rushed to exploit your fear and the pain of victims, to rush out a gun control measure that will do nothing to save lives. Or address the root cause of violence. I say exploit your fear, and i point to the speaker of the house just stood in this well with a poster that had a toy gun on it. And i want and they want you to feel scared about that. I have a 6yearold son and he has toy guns. And he knows about muzzle discipline. He knows you dont put your finger on the trigger. He knows you dont point it at people. Im able to teach my son gun safety and make him safer. You dont live through fear. This and other gun control measures like red flag laws, they make the other side feel better. But todays bill will do nothing but disarm lawabiding citizens. Congress has tried this before. 1994, a 10year assault weapons ban was first enacted. This ban did not stop Violent Crime or prevent heartwrenching tragedies like columbine. Yes, columbine happened while we had an assault weapons ban. In fact, after the ban ended, the department of justice issued a report that concluded, should it be renewed, the bans effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best. And perhaps too small for reliable measurement. Assault weapons were rarely used in gun crimes, even before the ban. Thats the department of justice. The results are in, folks. A socalled assault weapons ban does not work. But what it does is it takes away your rights and it leaves you vulnerable. The simple truth is criminals dont follow the law. If they did, think about this, if criminals followed the law, we wouldnt have any crime. But when you criminalize guns, only criminals are going to have guns. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Hudson i urge you to vote no on this legislation and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield four minutes to the sponsor of the bill, a member of the Judiciary Committee, the distinguished gentleman from roiled, mr. Cicilline rhode island, mr. Cicilline. The speaker pro tempore mr. Cicilline is recognized for four minutes. Mr. Cicilline mr. Speaker, i rise today in support of h. R. 1808, the assault weapons ban. Legislation that will help reduce the gun massacres being committed in our communities by weapons of war. These militarystyle weapons were designed for the battlefield, for maximum efficiency when a soldier is engaged in combat. And the military features banned by this bill are added to make these guns more accurate, more controllable, more concealable and more deadly. Enabling killers to murder as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. These weapons have no place in our communities. They turn our streets, our schools, our Grocery Stores, our Movie Theaters and hospitals into bloody battlefield scenes. And they kill our children, our friends and neighbors. And the Police Officers trying to protect them. In 2016 and 2017 alone, more than two dozen officers were slain in the line of duty by an assault weapon. One in five officers is killed in the line of duty by these weapons, which is why the Major City Police chief Association Endorses this legislation. Yet for nearly 18 years weve failed to take action to stop them. From flooding into our community them from flooding into our communities and being used time and time and time again in Mass Shootings. Its unconscionable that anyone can walk into a store and legally purchase a weapon capable of inflicting the carnage weve seen in Highland Park and buffalo and uvalde and atlanta and las vegas, orlando, parkland and the list goes on and on. Today the house is finally taking a long overdue and necessary step to reinstitute a ban on these exceptionally dangerous weapons. We didnt just come up with this proposal out of thin air and propose it. The original assault weapons ban was in place. From 1994 to 2004. And we have clear evidence that it was effective in reducing these killings. Compared with the decade before its adoption, the 1994 assault weapons ban was associated with a 25 drop in gun massacres. And a 40 drop in fatalities. And as soon as ban expired, fatalities and shootings skyrocketed again. When an assault weapon is used during Mass Shootings, six times as many people are shot. Today im imploring my colleagues to take action, to get these weapons of war designed for maximum destruction of human life off our streets. Let me be clear. I respect the Second Amendment. But its not without limits. Imagine if we clung to the desire to protect our children and our communities as tightly as some of my colleagues cling to their rifles. There are more guns than people in this country, more Mass Shootings than days in the year. This is a uniquely american problem. This bill wont stop all gun violence, but it will effectively decrease it. Because they were designed for military combat, these weapons dont just kill, they decimate. The shots fired can tear a softballsized wound into a victim. And we know how we can reduce the suffering. Research has estimated that if we still had a federal assault weapons ban, wed see a 70 decline in mass shooting deaths. Let this that sink in. 70 of the families torn apart by these massacres would still have their loved ones. We cant bring back 70 of these victims to their families and friends but we can work to prevent more carnage moving forward. Let me end by saying this. In my faiths tradition, we are taught that whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if they destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if they saved an entire world. Lets come together to save lives, pass this bill. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from florida, sheriff rutherford. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Rutherford i thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, america doesnt have a gun violence problem. We have a human violence problem. But those across the aisle dont want to talk about that because then you have to talk about the culture of death that we have created in this country. Killing 63 million unborn children, denying the sanctity of life. Thats the conversation that they dont want to have. Mr. Speaker, as a former Police Officer, ive encountered many dangerous people with guns. And we stop them before they hurt themselves or others. We identified them, we identified the threats that they were making. And then we were able to intervene and stop those individuals before they became a shooter. That is what we should be focused on. In the wake of these recent tragedies on in the wake of these recent tragedies. Give Law Enforcement the tools and resources to stop those who have shown a propensity to become violent. Thats what we should be focused on. Not defunding the police. Not demoralizing the police. Not delegitimatizing the police. We should be focused on assisting the police in identifying these individuals who want to commit crime. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to a member of the committee, the distinguished gentlelady from california, ms. Lofgren. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. Ms. Lofgren mr. Speaker, ms. Love impregn america ms. Lofgren america doesnt have to be the only country where gun violence is such a problem. I hear that its a Mental Health problem, but there are Mental Health problems all over the world and only america has Mass Shootings. We need and answer to this. The killer who killed my constituents at the garlic festival couldnt by the assault weapon at california, so he went to nevada and bought it there. We need a national answer. When the last ban expired, the number of mass shooting deaths increased. By 483 . You know, americans deserve to be safe and to be free. Free of fear that when their kids go to school theyll be obliterated. You know, we need to put the American People ahead of politics. We need to put American Children ahead of politics. We need to vote yes. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. Mr. Jordan i yield two minutes to the gentleman from arizona, mr. Biggs. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Biggs mr. Speaker, we do have a culture of human violence. Recently a 16yearold young man with three felony arrests in the past four months violently attacked and attempted to choke a new york Subway Police officer. He was released without bail. And that is whats happening where you have the left in charge of criminal justice systems. Why do i bring that up . Because that individual punched that Police Officer more than 20 times in his attempts to basically kill that officer. Personal weapons such as hands, fists or feet account for 600 homicides in 2019, according to official reports. And 1,476 murders were committed by knives or cutting instruments. And 364 homicides were committed with rifles. You see the distinction here . Where the democrats are going for, they want to take away someones constitutional right instead of enforcing the law for people who are violently and criminal violent. Theyll release those people back onto your streets the Supreme Court has held the Second Amendment protects arms in common use but at markup, chairman nadler admitted the pup of the bill is to ban firearms that are in common use. Think about that. That does violence to the constitution. They simply want to ban guns and this is just another step along that path. Its very at markup it became clear democrats dont even understand the guns that they are trying to ban. But they dont care. Because when they say they want to put politics above people or that we shouldnt, what they really mean is theyre going to. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i yield two minutes to the member of the Judiciary Committee, the distinguished gentlelady from texas, ms. Jackson lee. The speaker pro tempore ms. Jackson lee is recognized for two minutes. Ms. Jackson lee mr. Speaker, i think that we will spend most of our time here today where facts will be told and then rhetorical conversation will be told as well. Fact, the constitution and the Second Amendment does not prohibit the ban on assault weapons. Fact. 1808 led by mr. Cicilline allows gun owners to hold their guns. This deals with the transfer of guns. Fact. As we can see, the lives of our children are lost through carnage, bloodshed and murder. Fact. By the hands of an ar15. An assault style weapon. Our fellow sit zepps, fact, are killed by an ar15, 14, an assaultstyle weapon. Fact, that every weapon of mass carnage is not done by a knife, a b. B. Gun, it is not done by throwing a water bomb. Or words. It is not done by taking a bus and running over citizens. It is done by assaultstyle weapons. So i rise today to support h. R. 1808 because i am tired of a fact. Of doing nothing. Mayor bowser has a right to complain about Governor Abbott generating individuals unfairly, unjustly and wrongly to another jurisdiction. But fact is that these weapons have killed. And so, without any concern, we are now offering facts. And anyone that sugg gees that we are taking guns from good gun owners were not. I ask nam consent to put in the record several articles dealing with the washington post, the cbs news, and kxan, i ask unanimous consent. Vote for h. R. 1808. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleladys time has expire the gentleman from new york reserves, the gentleman from ohio. Mr. Jordan heres the fact, this bill is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court made clear the Second Amendment protects firearms in common use. This bill has pages of firearms including many that american citizens po says today. Thats fact. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. Gohmert. The speaker pro tempore mr. Gohmert is recognized for two minutes mr. Gohmert i thank my friend if ohio. The previous assault weapons ban that was referenced by our speaker, i just want to make sure the record is actually correct. The f. B. I. That kept the data had to admit, as sympathetic as they were to assault weapons ban, that actually it doesnt appear to have really made any difference. We want to talk about crime since then, we can talk about the big cities that have come under control of Democratic Authority who have push for things like no bond. But john adams had it exactly right. This constitution is intended for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the governing of any other. So were either going to have to get rid of all of our Constitutional Rights, we cant even allow freedom of assembly or speech, much less Second Amendment if were not going to teach moral right and wrong. And what are we finding . Were finding in our schools, courts say not teaching the 10 commandments, instead theyre teaching to envy. Look around, covet, see who has something more than you and you should envy and covet and just keep in mind, under the big city laws now, look, if you get violent, well give you no bond. Well let you right back out. You want to know what would do more right now than banning ar15s would be to ban democrat thinking in the big cities thats allowing the crime rates to just explode. Weve always had guns in america. Thats why there is an america. But we never had a time like this when we were teaching our children everything but the moral imperatives. Thats why this bill needs to go down and we need to go after the causes of our violence. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized mr. Nadler i now yield one minute to the gentlelady from texas, ms. Garcia. The speaker pro tempore ms. Garcia is recognized for one minute. Ms. Forward see ya thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in support of reinstate ms. Garcia thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in support of reinstating the assault weapons ban. This would put these weapons out of circulation for civilians. For me the choice between protecting banning assault weapons and protecting young, innocent children is a nobrainer. I put children above guns. It pains me deeply that our children and communities live in fear of suddenly losing their lives or the lives of loved ones on a daily basis. Im a gun owner myself, mr. Speaker. I was raised on a farm in south texas, and i know how to use a gun. Especially for hunting. But assault weapons are not for hunting. Theyre used to kill people quickly, efficiently, and as fast as they can. Any type of weapon is used solely for that, for killing people, has no place in our communities. One childs life is worth more than all the assault weapons in the world. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan i yield one minute to the gentleman from virginia, mr. Klein. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is rick noosessed for one minute. Mr. Cline my fellow americans, the democrats are coming for your guns this assault weapons ban is unfeucialal because it would ban firearms currently in common use making the semiautomatic assault weapon ban overly broad by capturing many bills. It focuses mostly on appearance, which would result in a ban of some models without banning others that have the same functionality. It would not reduce crime since studies have shown the effect of the last assault weapons ban was perhaps too small for reliable measurement. Instead with this bill and all other legislation from democrats aimed at gun control will do is directly infringe thoap rights of lawabiding americans. Therell always be another scary looking gun that they think looks scary that needs to be banned. Therell always be another loophole they have created out of thin air they need to close with more bans. Mr. Speaker this document says shall not be infringed. I urge a no vote on this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Mr. Jordan reserves. The gentleman from new york. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to a member of the Judiciary Committee, the distinguished gentleman from colorado, mr. Neguse. The speaker pro tempore mr. Neguse is recognized for one minute. Mr. Neguse thank you, mr. Speaker. I thank the chairman for his leadership. Rise in support of h. R. 1808. As the speaker know, a fellow coloradan, just last year we mourned the los of 10 individuals shot, murdered, at a Grocery Store in boulder, colorado, in my district. Last year we honored the 10year anniversary of the aurora, colorado, Movie Theater shooting. People in our communities fear whether they are safe to walk into their local Grocery Store and buy food for their families without the threat of gun violence. Since the federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004, the scourge of gun violence has only grown more pervasive across our clint. We have come together in the past to protect our communities. In 1994, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle joined together to pass a similar piece of legislation to that that we are voting on today. I humbly ask my colleagues that we do the same this evening. Lets pass this bill for our children and for Safer Communities. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from texas, mr. Pfluger. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Pfluger i thank the ranking member. Mr. Speaker, today im voting against the erosion of Constitutional Rights. Of lawabiding americans. In the long history of mankind, freedom and liberty are not lost overnight but comes by way of a slow and gradual burn we have seen an unprecedented assault on our First Amendment through legacy media and social media joins censoring the thoughts of the right while propping up their favorite candidates and covering up stories that could be detrimental to their public personas. Measures are implemented that are antifree assembly and today antiSecond Amendment, the right to bear arms. These rights shall not be infridged. Instead of making families and communities safer this backward gungrabbing attempt does nothing to harden school security, address our Mental Health crisis or address the depreciation of our morals and values. It does none of that but tears at the fabric of our constitution. I urge my colleagues to protect the constitution and vote no. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler i now yield one minute to the to a member of the committee, the distinguished gentlelady from pennsylvania, ms. Dean. The speaker pro tempore ms. Dean is recognized for one minute. Ms. Dean thank you, mr. Speaker. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I have four grandchildren. The youngest, scottie, was born just last year in 2021. In scotties world, guns kill more kids than cars do. In scotties world there are 692 Mass Shootings every year. And when she goes off to school, scottie will learn her active shooter drills as she learns to tie her shoes. We dont have to live like this. If we only had the courage, if we all only had the courage to pass the assault weapons ban to regulate semiautomatic gun, our gun violence crisis demands this and other solutions. This will save lives. Experts reveal the casualties of Mass Shootings would have dropped by 70 if the last assault weapons ban had stayed in place. How will i explain to scott j that the other scotty that the other side boasts of assault weapons in the hands of americans and says not one word about the 24,000 people dead in just seven months of this year from guns . We must act. Join me, have the courage to join me, pass the assault weapons ban for scottys future and for all of our children. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. The gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. Roy. The speaker pro tempore mr. Roy is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Roy i thank the speaker and thank the gentleman from ohio. Fact, this assault weapon ban bill is unconstitutional. Chairman nadler even recognized when he stated that, quote, the problem is that these weapons are in common use, and in heller the Supreme Court ruled that the bill of rights clearly protects firearms in common use. This is an unconstitutional piece of legislation. Fact, this assault weapons bill will ban the weapons in common use. And my colleagues will most assuredly target citizens to take their guns. In the words of democratic perpetual candidate beto orourke, hell yes, were going take your ar15, your ak47. Thats the truth. And everyone knows it. Dont hide behind it. Everybody knows precisely what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are doing. Fact, less than 2 of all prisoners had a firearm obtained from a retail source at the time they committed their crimes. Only 13 of the offenders in state prison populations obtained their firearms from a retail source. Criminals usually dont get their guns at gun stores. Through legal channels. Thats the fact. Another fact, upwards of 80 are committed by people with prior arrest records, often by people with prior convictions for Violent Crimes or prior weapons offenses and almost none of our drug proposals and particularly this one are targeted at this group. Thats the truth. Those are the facts. The fact, as Thomas Jefferson said, the strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government, the precise kind of tyranny that nye meeg my colleagues are exercising today. Precisely when theyre opening our borders up to lawless gangs, precisely when theyre defunding our police and making our communities unsafe, they want to limit the ability of the American People to defend themselves and to exercise their Second Amendment rights to protect their families. Thats whats happening on the floor. So my colleagues can appeal to their liberal white voters while they ignore the black men and women and brown men and women who are buying weapons to defend themselves in criminal hell holes in our country. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler this bill takes away nobodys weapons because existing weapons are grandfathered in. If hed only read the bill. Mr. Speaker, now yield one minute to the distinguished gentlelady from texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee, ms. Escobar. The speaker pro tempore ms. Escobar is recognized for one minute. Ms. Escobar mr. Speaker, i rise today in strong support of the assault weapons ban, which will save lives. Mr. Speaker, el paso is coming up on a terrible anniversary. On august 3, 2019, my district was the site of the deadliest targeted attack on latinos in modern history. Three years later, my constituents are still recovering from their injuries. And because republicans have decided that unfettered access to assault weapons is worth the routine slaughter of americans, the domestic terrorist who attacked my community was able to do so with a legally purchased assault weapon. What was once an unthinkable tragedy, the mass carnage we saw in el paso is now commonplace across america. Americans are fed up and so am i. Republicans have done nothing meaningful and hide behind thoughts and prayers, a phrase so empty and devoid of action that congress is routinely and deservedly mocked for it. So today im proud to act and proud to vote on the assault weapon ban. For el paso, for uvalde, for countless communities, i urge my colleagues to do the same. Thank you, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from north carolina, mr. Bishop. The speaker pro tempore mr. Bishop is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Bishop thank you, mr. Speaker. Today the democrats give new meaning to the term, progressive. This is the first time in american history, i believe, that a chamber of the congress will pass a bill openly defying the Supreme Courts explicit declaration of the Constitutional Rights of the American People. It represents the farthest ever reach of the democrats longpursued massive resistance doctrine. In markup, i asked if any democrat disputed that this bill bans guns and magazines in common use. Chairman nadler candidly responded, quote, thats the point of the bill. In other words, the essence of the bill is to stop commerce in weapons as alternativetively described by the court in heller in 2008 as those, quote, typically possessed by lawabiding citizens for lawful purposes, closed quote. Heller explained the origins of the right to keep and bear arms in militia service. Ordinarily when called for militia service, able bodied men were expected to appear bearing arms supplied by themselves and of the kind in common use at the time. The Supreme Court further explained, we also recognize another important limitation on right to keep and bear carry arms. Miller said, as we have explained, that the sort of weapons protected were those, quote, in common use at the time. This was explained just a month ago on june 23. And we see repeatedly that this is being defied. In fact, one week after that, the Supreme Court granted petitions for serciary, a state ban on m. S. R. s and a state ban on magazines. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, contrary to mr. Roy, i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record a report from thirdway entitled, the red state murder problem. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the distinguished gentlelady from florida, ms. Wasserman schultz. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. Ms. Wasserman schultz thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of this assault weapons ban, to reclaim our streets, churches, schools and synagogues. Assault weapons are killing machines and the weapon of choice for mass murderers. In my own county in parkland, a lone teenager slaughtered 17 people by himself, all because he had an assault weapon. This deranged individual tragically brutally killed and then overturned the lives of those families and forever changed our entire korea community. But our entire community. But this is no isolated case. Similar murders haunt las vegas, buffalo, uvalde, orlando, pittsburgh and too many other communities for me to list here today no. Parent should fear seeing a child off to a mall, Movie Theater or school knowing that a killer wielding a weapon designed to kill as many people as possible as fast as possible melee in wait for them. We need a whole of government solution to this health epidemic, including enforced ammunition background checks. But lets take these killing machines off our streets and end this fear that one person with one assault weapon in one moment can tragically tear countless lives apart. Republicans take note, the Supreme Court clearly allows limitations on weapons in their decisions. Feeding a falsehood doesnt make it true. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back the balance of her time. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from wisconsin, mr. Fitzgerald. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Fitzpatrick mr. Speaker, i thank the ranking member. There is a motion to recommit that i would like to offer. If we adopt the motion to recommit, well instruct the House Committee on judiciary to considerate amendment to h. R. 1808, which excludes active duty and retired military from the ban on assault weapons. I therefore ask unanimous consent to include the text of the amendment in the record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Fitzpatrick mr. Fitzgerald mr. Speaker, imagine you enlist in the navy and then that 17yearold goes through eight weeks of basic combat training at one of the basic Training Centers in fort jackson or fort knocks or fort benning. And then theyre given a service weapon, an m16, typically, and taught to assemble, disassemble that weapon down to the bolt. Theyll go through the training with the drill sergeant. Theyll be on a range, on a life fire range, with this service weapon. Then the 17yearold goes to a. I. T. To be taught their specialty and continue to be on active duty or in the reserves or in the National Guard and then potentially deploy. What this bill seeks to do is prevent this member of the military who comes home either to the reserve unit or National Guard unit or on active duty from purchasing a rifle that they can use on their own. My colleagues who support the bill are saying, we trusted you to join the service, we encouraged to you join the service. But now when it comes down to it, we really dont trust you to go out and purchase that weapon. It makes no sense. If the majoritys going to snub every veteran in this country by saying, we dont trust you, how can the u. S. Government ask someone to enlist when they dont trust them to have the same responsibility with their own personal weapon . Mr. Speaker, if we adopt the motion to recommit, we will instruct the committee on judiciary to consider my amendment to h. R. 1808, to ensure that the nations active duty members and veterans will be trusted. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Jordan i yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for another 30 seconds. Mr. Fitzgerald mr. Speaker, its so amazing to me that the majority rejected this in Judiciary Committee. They talk a good game when it comes to veterans, but when it comes right down to it, they dont trust them. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the the gentleman from to the gentleman from illinois, mr. Schneider. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from illinois is recognized for one minute. Mr. Schneider thank you, mr. Speaker. Today i rise in emphatic support of h. R. 1808. The assault weapons ban of 2022. Over the past few weeks, survivors of the horrific shooting in Highland Park, illinois, came to d. C. Determined to make change. They teamed up with families from uvalde, parkland and newtown to demand an assault weapons ban to reduce the chance of other communities experiencing the trauma they all tragically bear. Today, thanks in no small part to their efforts, the American People will get that recorded vote. The world is watching. No other nation experiences grow toesk number of grotesque number of murders from deranged individuals turning weapons of war on kids in school, families at prayer, people watching a parade. The vote we are taking today will show the families of those murdered exactly who is on their side, who is protecting our children and putting people over politics and conversely who is on the other side voting for their own power. I thank Speaker Pelosi and congressman cicilline for working tirelessly to secure a timely vote and i urge passage of this bill. I yield the remainder of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The chair will advise the managers, mr. Nadler has 13 minutes, mr. Jordan has 11 minutes. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. We yield three minutes to the gentleman from georgia, mr. Clyde. The speaker pro tempore mr. Clyde is recognized for three minutes. Clyde clyde thank you mr. Clyde thank you to the gentleman from ohio. I rise in strong opposition to h. R. 1808, which is just the latest gun grabbing bill democrats are dangerously ramming through their unconstitutional crusade to disarm america. The ink is barely dry on this antigun bill from last month and here they are pushing another antigun bill that proclaims to make us safer, but does the exact opposite. It puts citizens at greater risk by taking away the rights of the lawabiding. This legislation takes aim at our constitution by banning what the democrats call assault weapons, which is a vague political term used as a catch phrase to make the public think they are banning guns that assault people. But the truth is, the bill would ban the most popular semiautomatic rifle in america, the ar15, and what the industry calls modern sporting rifles. The democrats have consistently called them weapons of war and are trying to ban them from being purchased by lawabiding citizens. But who does this bill exempt . The federal government. Federal government agent ages like the department of health and agencies like the department of health and human services, department of education, department of labor, department of housing and urban development, and down the line. So if their weapons of war, what do these departments need with weapons of war . Is the department of education going to use them against the moms and dads who protest against woke local School Board Policies . Is it the is the department of housing and urban Development Going to use them against the occupants in their Housing Developments . You cannot have it both ways. If its a weapon of war, then ban these federal agencies too. The truth is they are simply a semiautomatic rifle that democrats want to demonize so they can ban more guns and take away more of our citizens inalienable Constitutional Rights. Democrat ignorance and malice do not justify banning nearly 25 million firearms that americans, including myself, proudly own and responsibly use. Now i know the author of this legislation would prefer that i spare him both the prefertory clause and the supremacy clause of the Second Amendment. But it is quite clear, a wellregulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Shall not be infringed, period. Is the thats the supremacy clause. And banning one of the most popular guns today is inflynn jment. I urge my colleagues to stand firm in the fight for the Second Amendment by vote nothing on this unconstitutional and therefore illegal piece of legislation. Thank you. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is regular niced. Mr. Nadler i ask unanimous consent to insert into the record a letter of endorsement in the assault weapons ban from the major cities chiefs association, one of the largest organizations in the United States. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Nadler i ask to insert into the record and article titled assault weapons in the news. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to the gentleman from new york, mr. Higgins. The speaker pro tempore mr. Higgins is recognized for one minute. Mr. Higgins no Technology Advances more quickly in our society than the technology of killing. Every day weapons of mass destruction are being made and manipulated to kill more people, more quickly. In buffalo, new york, may 14, one shooter, a racist shooter, went into a supermarket on jefferson avenue and shot 13 people, killing 10 of them the shooting started and was completed in two minutes and three seconds. One shooter. I often heard it said that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. There was a good guy with a gun in the store that day that was working scusht. Security. A retired 30year veteran of the new york police department. Help helpless because he was outgunned by the bad guy with a gun who had an assault rifle. I thank mr. Cicilline for his work on this issue and thoughtful approach to. This i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expire. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan we reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to the distinguish gentlelady from california, ms. Chu. The speaker pro tempore ms. Chu is recognized for one minute. Ms. Chu we are the only country in the world where Mass Shootings continuously happen. They happen in schools, Grocery Stores, malls, hospitals, parades, you name it. In america there has not been a single week in 2022 without a mass shooting. Weapons of war especially have no place in our streets or schools or Grocery Stores. They have no place in nail salons or churches or shopping malls. About the horrific impact on children like this, a trauma surgeon said the tissue disruption is almost unimaginable. Bobs are exploded. Soft tissue is absolutely destroyed. Its like a bomb went off. But we in congress can end this. We can end this uniquely american plague of mass death caused by gun violence. I support the assault weapons ban because we cannot wait to act until the next mass shooting. We must pass this bill today. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan we reserve, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman continues to reserve. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from texas, mr. Green. The speaker pro tempore mr. Green is recognized for one minute. Mr. Green and still i rise, mr. Speaker. I rise to announce that i will vote for this legislation and i will do so because i know that there are 19 babies who were murdered at Robb Elementary School in texas, who will never have the right to vote. I rise to vote for it because there are two teachers who were murdered who will never have the opportunity to see the future that was theirs. I rise because we have a governor in the state of texas who could have saved all those lies if he had but only, after the shooting at walmart that took 23 lives, passed legislation such as what were passing today. I rise because i dont want the blood of the next person murdered with an ar15 type weapon on my hands. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan we continue to reserve, mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman continues to reserve. The gentleman from new york. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to the distinguished gentlelady from nevada, ms. Titus. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from nevada is recognized for one minute. Ms. Titus thank you very much. I have heard a lot of talk today about the constitution. When the Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment, these kind of weapons didnt even exist. They had muskets and flintlock pistols that could fire three or four shots in a minute. On a good day. And they werent very accurate at all. The Founding Fathers did not know or anticipate these weapons of mass destruction that shooters use today to kill as many innocent people as brutally and quickly as possible. And thats exactly what they did in my district on october 1, 2017, when you had 60 people shot at a concert. I urge my colleagues on the other side to have the courage to stand up to the n. R. A. And support this legislation. Its commonsense, its necessary, and it will prevent Mass Shootings and cey lives. I thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio reserves, the gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler i now yield one minute to the chairman of the appropriations committee, the distinguished gentlelady from connecticut, ms. Delauro. The speaker pro tempore ms. Delauro is recognized for one minute. Ms. Delauro 26 souls including 20 babies, massacred at sandy hook elementary school. Parkland. Buffalo. Uvalde. The common denominator an ar15style assault weapon. The weapon of choice. Eight of the 10 deadliest Mass Shootings involved an assault weapon. We cannot be numb to this needless violence. It is long past time for us to act. In connecticut, the tragedy at sandy hook changed our lives forever. These are unspeakable tragedies. They are avoidable tragedies. And theyre happening in our schools, our Grocery Stores, our places of worship. The legislation before us today will reduce the prevalence of assault weapons. Ban the purchase of assault weapons. Get them off of our streets, make our communities safer, protect our children, save their lives. Is that not the noblest of goals . To save lives. We have the opportunity to do that in this body today. Enough is enough. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expire. The gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield five minutes to the chair of the Second Amendment caucus, the gentleman from kentucky, mr. Massie. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman vek nighed for five minutes. Mr. Massie thank you, mr. Speaker. Thank you to the gentleman from ohio. If facts are the ammunition of debate, id like to point out that the other side of the aisle entered this room unarmed. Theres so many mischaracterizations or misfires if you will, about this bill and what this bill does that i dont know where to start. But let me start here with the words of the author of this bill. He says it will ban weapons of war only suitable for soldiers in combat. Is that what it does . Does it pan ban and mrveg16 . It doesnt ban and mrveg16 or m4. It bans the most commonly sold rifle in the United States today and for the last several years. It doesnt ban weapons of war. It explicitly exempts the m1 grand. General patton said the m1 grand is the best weapon ever devised. Why sit existing . Look at the picture of the sole jerks marines at iwo jima, what were they carrying . M1 carbine, thats not banned. It exempts the pride of the chinese and communists, see the s. K. S. These are literal weapons of war not in this bill. They dont want to ban them right now because they dont look scary enough. They have a wooden fore stock and wooden butt. Theyre not made of plastic. They dont look like the scary stuff on the news. So they have no interest in banning that. Literal, actual weapons of war are not banned but the most common firearms sold today is ban. But lets take a minute take them at their word. Weapons of war. Got to ban weapons of war. They exempt 80something federal agencies from the ban. Literally every Bureaucratic Agency in government can have a weapon of war under this bill. Weapons of war as they call them. So we offered and temperature amendment in committee, we couldnt conceive of why the department of education would need a weapon of war to complete their mission of educating our children. Coming up with curriculum. We couldnt conceive of why the usda would need weapons of war. So we offered an amendment to exempt the usda and department of education from being able to have these weapons of war. Socalled weapons of war. Every democrat, even though they couldnt give us a good reason, of why these agencies would need weapons of warring or with whom they planned to go to war, are they bringing them to the school board . Where are they going to bring these things . They couldnt give a good reason why these agencies would need weapons of war. But they all voted to allow these agencies to have weapons of war. Now the reason they did, came to that conclusion is they arent weapons of war. Its the most common firearm sold in the United States today. These are not weapons of war. There was one democrat who did articulate a reason. He said theyre actually good for defense. You might need them to defend the department of education. Thats what the Second Amendment is about. Its not about making sure that the department of education, which by the way is unconstitutional, but its not making sure that the department of education can have proper defense, its for the people to have proper defense. So thats the first falsehood. Now heres another reason that gun owners should be concerned about this bill. Maybe you dont own one of these firearms. But if you own guns you know about terminal ballistics, you know what are suitable calibers for hunting deer, for hunting coyotes. Weve heard it said here today and in the committee and they showed us a video, oh the terminal ballistics of a. 223 round are so dangerous we need to ban these ar15s because they shoot. 223 rounds. What they didnt show you was a video of a deer cartridge. Like a 30ought six or 308. If you are ban, if the pup of this legislation is to ban these firearms because they shoot a cartridge with those terminal bay list oisks a. 223. Then you plan, you absolutely plan to come after deer rifles. Because they have two and three times as much power. Two and three times as much destructive and killing power as the firearm, as the cartridge used in the firearm you seek to ban here today. Another falsehood, this bill will save lives. Let me get to this. We heard it here today. I was waiting for it. It was mentioned a couple of times. Even the speaker of the house mentioned it. They have said the 19942004 ais all weapons ban socalled assault weapon, reduced crime. That crime went down. Guess what . From 1995 to 2004 there were two million of these firearms imported or manufactured and sold the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Jordan i yield the gentleman 30 seconds. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds. Mr. Massie the number of these rifles doubled in the United States during your last assault weapons ban. If you think crime went down because of the last assault weapons ban, then youve got some explaining to do because the number of those rifes increase. Maybe, just maybe, people became safer. I yield i urge opposition to this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Reserves. The gentleman from new york. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to the gentleman from virginia, mr. Connolly. The speaker pro tempore mr. Connolly is recognized for one minute. Mr. Connolly i thank the gentleman. We face two choices. Today. In this body. One is to protect our children, to protect our houses of worship, to protect where we shop, to protect where we watch a movie. From guns that exist for one purpose only. Mass death inflicted efficiency. Or we can listen to the other argument which youve heard. In thrall to the gun manufacturers, to protect them at any cost. And you as a citizen are collateral damage. At the altar of the gun manufacturers. And we will be bathed in blood forever. It is time to act. It is time to end the madness and disenthrall ourselveses from automatic weapons that are mass killers. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Mr. Nadler reserves. Mr. Jordan reserves. Mr. Nadler is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the distinguished majority leader of the house, the gentleman from maryland, mr. Hoyer. The speaker pro tempore mr. Hoyer is the speaker pro tempore mr. Hoyer is recognized for one minute. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentleman for yielding. This, of course, is an emotional debate. Some have talked about fear and they instill fear in the process. As mr. Nadler has pointed out, no weapons are taken away. A number of members on the other side of the aisle have gotten up and said this is an unconstitutional bill. Yet, from 1994 to 2004, that bill was tested in the courts. None of those courts found that unconstitutional. In the heller case, which has been quoted over and over again, a very simple statement was made by that superliberal, antonin scalia. He said, like most rights, the rights secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. From blackstone through the 19th century cases, commentators and courts routinely explained that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever for whatever purposes. One indication of that, of course, is that we have a ban on machine guns in america. Now, one could answer, well, theyre not in common use. Thats correct because theyre banned. 67 of americans support an assault weapon ban. 53 , over half, strongly support and another 14 somewhat support for a total of 67 . Thats in a poll by the Morning Consult on may 25, 2022. There was another poll by pew in september of 2021 that said that 63 of americans support. Both polls, over 60 of americans, over 2 3 of americans think this action makes sense. I am sure the founders, as they were discussing the Second Amendment, debated whether we ought to have mass rapid fire weapons covered by the Second Amendment. They had no idea such weapons certainly didnt exist and they acted within the framework of the times in which they lived. Mr. Speaker, Congress Must take action today to protect all americans from dangerous and deadly assault weapons. If we do so we will still be the country who has the most weapons per capita in the world. More weapons than people. Which would seem to think, therefore, we ought to be the least dangerous nation if the premise there are more people that are armed the less crime well have. Seems a little counterintuitive to me. The weapons that were talking about are able to kill large numbers rapidly. Used to kill six adults and 20 children at sandy hook. Used to kill 61 people in las vegas. Used to kill 19 students and two teachers in uvalde, texas, just a few weeks ago. From aurora to order, San Bernardino to buffalo, el paso, and Highland Park, they have been mentioned today and we ought to mention them on a regular basis to remind us. We have watched assault weapons inflict mass destruction in our communities time and time and time again. Not only do these weapons claim the lives of innocent civilians, they frequently kill members of Law Enforcement whove worked to keep their communities safe. Thats why Law Enforcement largely not all of them support this bill because they see that as one of the greatest dangers to their lives. Indeed, one study by the violence study policy found nearly a quarter of all Police Officers who were killed in the line of duty from 2016 to 2019 were killed by the same firearms that would be outlawed under this ban. Of those Police Officers killed by those assault weapons, almost a quarter of them were wearing body armor that was nevertheless penetrated by a bullet. These types of attacks and Police Killings are not inevitable. We know theres a better way. We know that because these attacks became far less common when an overwhelmingly Bipartisan Coalition, overwhelmingly Bipartisan Coalition this was not some democratic bill. It was a bipartisan bill. Ill speak more of that in just a second. Came together in 1994 to pass a ban, including 46 house republicans. That measure had support from Law Enforcement and from both democratic and republican president s, including ronald reagan. After republicans were in control of congress, they allowed that ban to expire in 1994. Mass shootings tripled, tripled. Today, im pleased to bring mr. Cicillines bill to the floor to reinstate americas reinstate reinstate a bill thats been taken to the court already. This legislation would prohibit the possession and manufacture, sale, transfer of semiautomatic assault weapons and highcapacity magazines. It does not take away from citizens. To be clear, we are not undermining the Second Amendment. I am for a person having the right to have a weapon, not only to hunt but in his home, in his business to protect himself and his family. And were authorized to carry upon his person where authorized. This will not lead to the confiscation of firearms, notwithstanding the fear thats been expressed. Weapons that were legally purchased before its enactment. However, it will set safety requirements. Doesnt that make sense . We have safety requirements for our cars. Doesnt it make sense to have safety requirements for weapons that can kill . Additionally, this legislation will provide funding for buyback programs for those who would prefer to be responsible neighbors and Community Members and relinquish their assault weapons voluntarily. Voluntarily. But, of course, our n. R. A. Friends have this slippery slope concept that anything we do, even banning cop killer bullets, goes too far because the next step and the next step and the next step. These commonsense reforms will save the lives of Law Enforcement officers and innocent americans across the country. The speaker spoke that were going to bring Additional Community safety legislation to the floor to support our police because as much as the republicans would like to say we democrats are for defunding the police, it is absolutely incorrect and false and they know it. Why do they know it . Because we bring appropriation bills to this floor which fund the police. Not only at the National Level but at the state and local level as well. Which gives lie to the assertion that we are some people use that comment. Look in the mirror, folks. There are some people on your side of the aisle who say absurd things. There are many people on both sides of the aisle who say lets support and protect police. This is a way to do it. Today, we have an opportunity to put votes behind our words and show who is ready to do exactly that. Now, i will hope my republican friends and democratic friends and my fellow americans will listen to the quote that i am about to give from a president that used to be revered on the republican side of the aisle but is not looked at as such a reverential figure. Ronald reagan said this, listen to the American Public and to the Law Enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of these weapons. A moment of silence is not enough. Im not sure i should have counted how many moments of silence we have had on this floor this year and lamented the loss of children and the elderly and everybody in between because of a weapon that is designed to kill a lot of people quickly. No more moments of silence. Lets act. Vote yes. Pass this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from maryland yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan mr. Speaker, we havent said the Second Amendment is unlimited. The Second Amendment, which the Supreme Court says protects firearms in common use. 24 million americans have these weapons. That is most certainly common use. And the fact that the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Judiciary Committee says i dont care, were going to do it even though we know its unconstitutional, that is just wrong. With that i yield one minute to my friend, the gentleman from texas, mr. Arrington. The speaker pro tempore mr. Arrington is recognized for one minute. Mr. Arrington too often, mr. Speaker, we skip over the fundamental principle and precip and founders of the Second Amendment. They wanted to defend against our freedom and independence. They said when there was abuses and the citizens were reduced to absolute despotism, it was our right and our duty to throw off that government. We wouldnt have these United States. We wouldnt be here today without this sacred Second Amendment. Every lawabiding citizen in america must be able to meet with equal or greater force, whether its a violent criminal, a crazed killer, or a coercive government. We should, mr. Speaker, we must reject this attempt to trample the constitution, violate the spirit of what those founders wrote into that to that sacred document and to disarm our citizens. And i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The chair will advise managers, mr. Jordan has one minute, mr. Nadler has six minutes. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler mr. Speaker, the previous speaker on the republican side said that citizens must be able to meet the government with equal arms. The United States government is Hydrogen Bombs, does he think every citizen ought to have a Hydrogen Bomb . Mr. Speaker, i now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from rhode island, mr. Langevin. The speaker pro tempore mr. Langevin is recognized for one minute. Mr. Langevin mr. Speaker, i know the damage that guns can cause firsthand. When i was 16, an accidental gunshot severed my spinal cord and left me paralyzed. That pails in comparison to the destruction caused by assault weapons which inflicts damage on the targets. No one need an assault weapon to go deer hunting or defend their homes. They have no place on our streets. After all, its no coincidence that assault weapons were the firearm of choice for the killers in uvalde, buffalo, pittsburgh, order, sandy hook, and the list goes on. So i ask my colleagues, does this body have the courage to stop the next massacre from taking place or will we shirk from our responsibilities and our duty contend to simply offer thoughts and prayers while americans and even small children are mowed down in our schools, Grocery Stores, and places of worship . I know which side im on i thank congressman cicilline on bringing this legislation to the floor. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time the gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to the gentlelady from chicago, one minute. Ms. Schakowsky i am in strong support of the assault weapons ban. I live very close to Highland Park, illinois and i have heard from hundreds of people and met with hundreds of people, students, teachers, parents and Small Business owners and yes, even Law Enforcement officials who demand that we have and pass an assault weapons ban today. Todays vote would not be possible without the fearless and tireless work of advocates and survivors. This day is for them. And i think that there is no rational reason that we would allow these weapons of mass destruction to be on the streets of our country that ravages our families, our communities and even our way of life. And i urge a yes vote to ban assault weapons. The speaker pro tempore ms. Sch akowsky yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio reserves. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute the speaker pro tempore ms. Kap tur is reek capture is recognized. Ms. Kaptur i would say to mr. Jordan, your freedom stops where mine begins. Schools, shopping malls, Grocery Stores. Weapons of war have no place on the streets of america. And an experienced ohio sheriff says large capacity magazines should be utilized by the Law Enforcement. And this is supported. Until sufficient time that members of Congress Care about the safety of children in our schools, more than the next reelection, Mass Shootings will continue to occur and innocent people will die. One of the most experienced chiefs of police that i represent says the following, the connection between guns and illicit drugs is 100 . So, lets take the two most important steps, remove large capacity assault weapons from our streets and arrest the drug dealers that are creating death and destruction. Lets give freedom back to the American People. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair will remind members to direct their remarks to the chair. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio reserves. Mr. Jordan if the gentlelady from ohio wants to come me and welcome to debate on the Second Amendment and she can lecture and i would welcome to debate her and my guess, the constituents i represent, most of them agree with me and the United States constitution, i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york. Mr. Nadler i yield one minute to a member of the Judiciary Committee, mr. Cohen. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Cohen this has been an interesting debate, the debate from the republican side are showing their knowledge of weapons and almost a fetish with weapons, something that froid would be able to explain. They talk about hands being dangerous and knives being dangerous but hands and knives dont kill people in volume and number. The c. I. A. Did a study that even shots to extremities all made fatal impacts on people. Ar15 is outgrowth of a military weapon. Ar15 is a weapon that destroys peoples bodies and kills them quickly and should not be allowed in a safe, civilized society. I urge passage of the bill. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time the gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from ohio reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler how much time does each side have . The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from ohio has 45 seconds. Mr. Nadler we are prepared to close. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from ohio is recognized. Mr. Jordan red flag laws take all guns from some people. This bill makes illegal some guns for all people. And we know where they want to go. We know what they want to do and take all guns from all people, because they cant stand the Second Amendment. They hate the Second Amendment. During the markup, the sponsor said this, spare me the b. S. About Constitutional Rights. Republicans care about lawabiding their Second Amendment rights and all of those have been attacked by the democrats. Thats why we should vote no on this legislation and let lawabiding americans have the respect to the Second Amendment they deserve. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time the gentleman from new york is recognized. Mr. Nadler no surprise that assault weapons are weapons of chase for Mass Shootings killing the most people in the shortest amount of time. The gentleman from ohio is right, i did say in the committee, spare us the b. S. , i meant the republican b. S. About the constitution, about the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is designed not to allow people to fight the government. You want to take up arms against american troops, is that what they say . You saw what that did with the snarks insurrection. The Second Amendment is designed to allow for well regulated militia, which is to say in our day, the National Guard. Assault weapons ban would take the weapons of war off our streets and save countless lives and that is why it is supported by all associations of police, American Federation of teachers, American College of physicians, American Public health association, the National Alliance to end Sexual Violence and black enforcement executives, major cities, Police Chiefs association. They know what they are doing. The assault weapons ban would take these weapons of war off our streets and prevent more of the uvaldes, the parklands and tree of life synagogue the house passed hr 1808 by a near partyline vote. Five immigrants voted with republicans against the bill, including ron kind, while two republicans voted yes, chris jacobs and brian fitzpatrick. The bill outlaws semi assault weapons as well as large capacity feeding devices. The bill provides grants to states and localities for gun buyback programs. Cspan is your unfiltered view of government. We are funded by these Television Companies and more. Homework can be hard, but squatting in a diner for internet is even harder. We are providing low income students access to affordable internet so homework can just be homework. Cox along with these other Television Providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. Here is what is coming up on todays edition of washington journal. After a look at the news and some calls, we will discuss the rise of monkeypox cases in the u. S. With infectious