Ten Congressmen Join John Lewis Calling for Swift Action on Gun Control Legislation
John Lewis took the floor of House of Representatives Wednesday, demanding Congress take action on gun control legislation. The issue has been a priority for Lewis, who cited several Atlantans who were recent victims of gun violence as reasons to act immediately.
Following his remarks, Lewis was joined in the well by Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA), John Larson (D-CT), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Elizabeth Etsy (D-CT), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Katherine Clark (D-MA). A statement from Lewis’ office notes that following the group’s endorsement, “the House was immediately gaveled into recess.”
From his speech:
Today, I ask you to think of Taylor Hayden, the beautiful young woman celebrating a girls weekend in Atlanta, who was killed by gang crossfire. Please think of the young woman killed while driving home from work in Southwest Atlanta. Think of the woman fighting for her life at this very moment in Grady hospital. Just last week, she was injured in a shooting that brought I-85 to a stop.
Mr. Speaker, time and time again, we asked for compassion. Time and time again, we asked for action. Time and time again, we asked for leadership. Our constituents are sick and tired of a do nothing Congress. They elected us to do our jobs. Instead, Congress took a break. Mr. Speaker, Republicans must join Democrats, and do what is right, what is just, and what is long overdue. There are good, common-sense proposals that not only protect rights, but also will save lives. These bills should be passed immediately.
…
We have mission, an obligation, and a mandate. History will not be kind if Congress continues to turn a blind eye and a cold shoulder to those crying, begging, and pleading for action. We must pass common-sense legislation to prevent gun violence and mass shootings in our country, and we must act now. Not next week, next week, or next year, but now.
Lewis did not specify which bills he wanted he supported.
You can watch the video of his speech:
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They.will.never.stop….Ever.
Thank Sweet Baby Jesus for the NRA!
Hmmm…what are the odds that all the congressmen and women mentioned above also favor abortion on demand, which kills far more blacks than does gun violence? John Lewis never seems to have “compassion” for the thousands of black babies aborted each year in Georgia.
You do understand that few people choose to get shot and killed. Abortion is a right, a choice.
And one has nothing to do with the other.
The unborn baby sure as sh*t didn’t choose it…
Because Lewis believes the gun, not the shooter is the problem I have a recommendation. When we have an act of “gun violence” we should charge and prosecute the gun and use the shooter as a witness. If the gun is found guilty we should execute (destroy) the gun and thus that gun will never shoot another person.
Of course my recommendation is absurd, but then again John Lewis has been absurd and ineffective for years.
Coastal Cat, abortion most certainly is a “choice:…as for a “right”, I still have yet to find it mentioned in the Constitution, but given that the current Court says the federal government has the “right” to force you to buy health care, I’m not really surprised by any rulings the Supreme Court had made in the last 40 or so years. That is one reason the choice between Trump and Clinton is a very critical one—the future of the Supreme Court.
The right to privacy (in that your morals, your religion) have no basis in deciding what a woman does is in the Constitution. In this country at least, that trumps trying to decide whose religion and morals makes private decisions. There are some Islamic societies that would be happy to let you join them if you want a theocratic state.
Trump shouldn’t be allowed near crayons, much less the Supreme Court.
Oh yes, the old theocracy argument…typical stuff hurled at religious conservatives who don’t happen to hold the “trendy” views of today that have decimated many churches (just look at the membership losses since the 1960s of mainline Protestant Churches. Instead we are to embrace the codes of Berkeley, San Francisco and Manhattan.
Our laws are based on someone’s morality. You know, like the 10 Commandments, thou shall not steal and kill? And the Constitution says those powers not delegated to the federal government or to the people are reserved for the states…you know things like abortion, gambling, punishment for criminals…but Hillary and her crowd like the activist judges who will invent rights when the ballot box fails their cause celebre. Hillary is part of the PC crowd that has so taken over the NCAA.
As for Lewis, I wonder what legislation he has supported to clamp down on crime? Or does he instead blame “society?” If I recall correctly, he wasn’t too keen on the 1994 crime bill because it included capital punishment provisions (of course, liberals hate imposing the death penalty on heinous criminals but, ironically, support it for the unborn—even though the ancient, undivided Church had many writings against abortion).
This sounds like more of an internal Christian debate than a political one. John Lewis is a Christian, as was MLK, and many millions of others who differ with your point of view.
You keep tossing out religion as a source for laws. Not in this country. Maybe you have us confused with Saudi Arabia?
You really need to put aside your hatred of anything religious and brush up on your American history.
Hasn’t religion as a source been documented in a painting?
And movies.
“I bring you Fifteen… Ten! Ten Commandments!”