February 27, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 36 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H2264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AN ACTUAL NATIONAL EMERGENCY

  (Ms. WILSON of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address an 
actual national emergency. There are too many damn guns in America, and 
far too many lives have been lost. Last year alone 40,000 Americans 
were fatally shot, the most in 50 years.
  My county suffers from gun violence on a near-daily basis. In the 
last 5 years, we have lost 370 people to gun violence; 127 of these 
victims were children.
  Recently, a pregnant mother was killed, and her teenage daughter 
injured in a senseless shooting. The family had already lost a relative 
to gun violence.
  Almost as shocking as these statistics, for 25 years Congress failed 
to pass significant gun control legislation until today. I am comforted 
by how swiftly House Democrats began tackling this crisis, and pray 
that the Senate finds the courage to follow our lead.
  American voters sent us an urgent message last November; thoughts and 
prayers and moments of silence are not enough. Let us reassure them 
that passing the Background Checks Act of 2019 is just the first step 
of many more to come; and we won't stop until this national emergency 
is over.

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