President biden at the end of june. The center hosts this discussion. Good morning everyone. Im the president and c. E. O. Of the center for american progress. The last several days have been daunting and to pass a bill in congress to make commonsense investments. Failure to find Common Ground in this crisis has contributed that our legislative process is broken and have no sense that boulders are going back towards you or you have a conviction that you are on the right side of history and senator chris murphy falls into the latter. The senator has been a powerful voice in expanded access to health care and a bold champion of progressive foreign policies and widely held with a level of violence unique to the united states. After decades of inaction on the issue of gun safety and gun violence, june 25, the dam broke. The most significant Gun Legislation in nearly 30 years was signed into law and because of senator murphys commitment the commitments are historic and unexpected support. The new law incentivizees states, closes the loophole restricting guns to domestic abusers and strengthens and straw purchasing and 250 million in funds interruption program. And senator murphy has demonstrated that reaching bipartisan agreement is possible even on issues considered too combative. This is not appear infrastructure bill. This is guns in america. His work offers hope and perhaps a path forward between our Political Parties and sometimes just one party. A road map here to achieving other issues [indiscernible] and compromisees Going Forward because make no mistake progress mips progress. And more gains we can make to benefit families. First by deepening our understanding of this bill and examining how this forms other legislative campaigns. Senator murphy, thank you and welcome. I appreciate to be engage with you. Im going to start by saluting this remarkable achievement were beef miles and park land and orlando, el paso, buffalo, on and on and so many other towns. To open up by putting this legislation in perspective what is in the heart of the bill and make our nation safer . Thank you for highlighting this piece of legislation and years of advocacy to make sure this nation did not turn its back on this increasing trauma caused by this unique epidemic of gun violence. The 30year perspective. Congress has been watching on suicide, homicide and Mass Violence over the course of three decades and done nothing about it despite the fact there was a clear mandate from the American Public to take steps to address the epidemic of gun violence. Primarily there was a power imbalance. There was a lot of power and the antigun Violence Movement. And especially over the last 10 years since sandy hook. A movement has arisen and got to the point where the antigun Violence Movement all the moms and dads and students marching on the streets lobbying congress has much power as the gun lobby and set up for this moment where we were able to break this 30year log jam. It is going to save lives. And there are lots of things to talk about what isnt in this bill but i celebrate what is in the bill because it will save thousands and thousands of lives and this deep meaningful investment of a broken Mental Health system and historically, i think it sets us up for success in the future, what i know about great social change movement in this country. You have to give your first victory before your second, thirst and fourth and now that we have tipped the scales, we should celebrate what is in this bill and expect to be able to do more. Senator and gun lobby and average citizens [indiscernible] and now have a moment that is as colorful as that lobby. There is a virtue of the Lgbtq Movement and what occurred on gay marriage and would you say and talk us through as we move from aspiration to legislation . As we were developing this legislation, there were nay shares on both sides. Those on the right said there is no compromise but on the left there were many who said this isnt enough or you are going to give republicans a victory that is short of everything we need. And this is wrong. We want universal background checks and ban on assault weapons. If you look at the Civil Rights Movement or Marriage Equality movement, they didnt get everything they wanted first time up at bat legislatively. In many states first began by legalizing the right of gay coupleles to adopt and a lot of people said do not settle for this very small change in law and rights because what we want is full equality. But getting that first small change, your voice leads to change and causes activists and two, you prove to the opponents who are supporting those changes that when you stand up for rights or take on the gun lobby. Activists because timely they have seen coming to the capitol and going to come back for more and see these republicans who voted for it and go back home and not only does the sky not fall but will get support from unlikely corners. And that is what happened in the Civil Rights Movement and Marriage Equality movement, they realized there was much more political gain than the political wisdom will hold. Thats a critical point. We know that the work that you and others did [indiscernible] why democrats lost. Given the success that you have had to know, i know you well understand that there is daylight between compromise and heres a little bit to what they are campaigning now on both sides. And im going you by showing you a short video clip of yourself. Let me just say worried about politics. You are very right. The conventional wisdom after 1994 was congress was lost, democrats lost the congress because of the assault weapons, that is not true. The assault weapons ban which was part of the 1994 crime bill. We lost because we had a president who was unpopular and the Health Care Bill which unfortunately was misconstrued. For 30 years, democrats say i cant talk about it. Wasnt until 2018 when democrats figured out if there are issues like back grouped checks and people are never going to vote for you but convince a whole group of additional people to turn out who were not going to turn out. And that was led in part by candidates. We won a district in georgia that was held by republicans by running an antigun violence activist lucy mcbath. You cant win in georgia and thats who we ran and people wanted her who were speaking truth to power on the issue of guns and timely figured that out and republicans are slowly but surely figuring out the same thing. Perfect illustration and what you left out of your story just then, prior to the success we had, our wonderful senator from georgia, he went to that congressional seat and has faced challenges and around gun violence and gun control legislation and short time later, the environment completely changed. This is and i want to get to a really important thing that occurred. We all know that about a month passed from the horrific shooting in texas to the president signing this bill into law and for a body known for its considered deliberation that is seismic. You said already of what you think has changed in this moment but at the start of this debate that defines different behavior. When this first happened, i was skeptical that anything would be done. You presiding over the senate and you made a passionate speech from the senate floor and in it and focused on your refrain, why are we here. But there are a portion of those remarks that were powerful that followed that moment and signaled the kind of compromise that was possible. In this moment, you completely chose to play an opening. I want to play that clip and then talk to you, senator. Im here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues, find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that this less likely. I understand my republican colleagues will not agree to everything i support but there is a common denominator we can find, there is a place where we can achieve agreement. This may not guarantee that america never ever again sees a mass shooting, that may not overnight cut in half the number of murders that happen in america, it will not solve the problem of american violence by itself. But by doing something, we at least stop sending this quiet message of endorsement to these killers senator, i wanted to play that because that for me is when everything changed. We get our news now from oacial media. We are keeping our 40year commitment to cover congress. Today, members consider 10 bills including a measure includeing finland and swedens decision to apply to nato. Saker, i move ate use sud e rules pass the bl. 144. The speakepro tempore clerk will report t titf thil rk sene 144, an acto thore t secreta of