Congressman Dan Kildee: Congress Should Act on Commonsense Legislation to Prevent Gun Violence

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) today spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives urging Congress to allow votes on meaningful legislation to prevent gun violence. Congressman Kildee’s remarks can be viewed here. Congressman Kildee renewed his call for Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-01) to take up two pieces of bipartisan legislation to prevent gun violence. First, H.R. 1076, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015, which would prevent anyone currently on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Terror Watch List from legally purchasing a weapon. Second, the bipartisan King-Thompson legislation, H.R. 1217, would expand and strengthen the background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales, including those at gun shows, over the internet or in classified ads while providing reasonable exceptions for family and friend transfers. Congressman Kildee has previously pushed for action on commonsense legislation to prevent gun violence, but House Republican leadership has continued to block a vote. “It’s impossible to ignore the terrible reality that gun violence is just far too common in this country. This most recent shooting in Orlando – the deadliest mass shooting in our history– is a tragic reminder that Congress has yet to take action to protect the American people,” Congressman Kildee said. “That’s why two weeks ago, I and a number of my colleagues sat down on the floor of this House to stand up and say that we’ve had enough. That’s why I went home to Michigan and stood with my own constituents back home to call for common sense gun action.” “It’s simple, requiring that a person who is too dangerous, who is on the Terror Watch List, too dangerous to purchase an airplane ticket, should not be able to walk into any shop and buy a gun at any time for any purpose,” Congressman Kildee continued. “It’s also a common sense provision that the American people support that we should close the loophole on background checks so that all weapons purchases are subject to a background check. Rather than bringing false bills, written by the NRA. It is far too long. We need to act. I call on Congress to act.” Congressman Kildee also joined House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Members of the House Democratic Caucus, gun violence survivors, families and advocates to reiterate the call for speaker Ryan to end House Republicans’ obstruction and bring up legislation that would make our communities safer. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, in the last 11 years, over 2,000 suspects on the FBI’s Terror Watch List have tried to legally buy guns in the U.S. 91 percent of those terror suspects have succeeded in walking away with a deadly weapon.

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