June 21, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 105 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H5026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           URBAN GUN VIOLENCE

  (Ms. SCANLON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, while I would love to rise in celebration 
of the first day of summer, the cold, hard fact is that, as 
temperatures soar, so does urban gun violence.
  During a graduation party last weekend in my district in southwest 
Philadelphia, a gunman opened fire, claiming one life and injuring five 
other people.
  Last weekend, 23 separate shootings claimed 32 victims and caused 
five deaths in just 2 days in Philadelphia--23 shootings and five 
deaths in one weekend.
  What is infuriating is that there are proven, commonsense measures 
that will reduce gun violence in our cities, and the number one 
strategy is background checks.
  115 days have passed since the House sent two bipartisan, commonsense 
gun safety bills to the Senate. They would have strengthened our 
background checks. And what has the Senate done? Nothing.
  During those 115 days, 11,400 people have died from gun violence in 
the United States.
  Senator McConnell likes to joke about his legislative graveyard, but 
countless families are actually burying their loved ones while he does 
nothing.
  The American people deserve better. Our children deserve better.

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