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[Page H5087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MAKE COMMUNITIES HEALTHIER AND SAFER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) for 5 minutes.
Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about making our
communities healthier and safer for all Americans.
Let me start out by urging my colleagues to join me and my colleague,
Jim Sensenbrenner, in supporting the Functional Gastrointestinal and
Motility Disorder Research Enhancement Act, legislation that we are
introducing today.
There are millions of Americans who suffer from gastrointestinal and
motility disorders. These are very common gastrointestinal disorders in
the general population, but they affect tens of millions of Americans.
Symptoms of these disorders include pain in the inner organs, lack of
motility, altered immune function, and altered central nervous system
function. Although these symptoms can be life-threatening, effective
therapies exist. Treatment, generally, focuses on management of the
symptoms.
For nearly 30 years, patient advocacy organizations, like the
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in
my district, have been working to support affected individuals and
their families.
Mr. Speaker, we are asking all of our colleagues to join us in
cosponsoring this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, while I am here addressing healthier and safer
communities, I would be remiss if I did not mention the need to
aggressively attack a crisis, a health crisis, a public safety crisis
that is affecting all of our communities, and that is gun violence.
Mr. Speaker, it is often said that it takes a village to raise a
child, but it takes a village to protect children, too.
That is why I am so inspired by my own hometown of Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, to see what our community is doing collectively to address
gun violence. That is why I am inspired to see that Milwaukee hospitals
are working to combat accidental shootings by offering free gunlocks as
a tool to protect children from guns in homes. The city is also working
to put violence interrupters in our community to teach people how to
deescalate violence.
Communities like Milwaukee have always stepped up when Congress falls
short, but now, Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to act to pass
commonsense gun violence prevention measures that have widespread
support.
It has been over 100 days, Mr. Speaker, since the House has passed
H.R. 8, strengthening background checks; H.R. 1585, the VAWA
reauthorization that includes new provisions to prevent abusers from
accessing guns; and H.R. 1112, closing the Charleston loophole that
allows individuals to get a gun if their background checks haven't been
completed within 3 days, all legislation that would prevent the gun
violence that is hurting all our communities. Yet, the Senate has
failed to act, as key Senators have opposed taking any action.
That is irresponsible.
{time} 1115
We are not the only country that experiences gun violence, but it
seems that we are the only ones not to do anything about it except to
offer thoughts and prayers and moments of silence.
Well, I will tell you, no more silence over gun violence, from Sandy
Hook where 26 were killed to the Pulse nightclub shooting where 49 were
killed, to the third anniversary of the Oak Creek Sikh temple shooting
where 6 were killed, to Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida where
17 were killed, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where, last fall, a 13-year-
old girl was killed by a stray bullet. Bullets don't have eyes. This
spring, an 11-year-old was wounded by a stray bullet.
Enough is enough. Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Senate to take up
H.R. 8 and to promote health and safety in our communities.
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