WASHINGTON—(ENEWSPF)—June 12, 2014. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today to take her colleagues to task for ignoring urban gun violence in America’s inner cities and to urge lawmakers to take action to stop the epidemic.
Kelly, a member of the House Gun Prevention Taskforce, represents parts of the city of Chicago that have been plagued by gun violence. She has been a strong advocate for gun violence prevention in Congress and has introduced several common sense gun bills aimed at keeping guns out of the wrong hands and making every neighborhood in America safer.
The following is the text of Kelly’s floor speech. You can view the video here: http://youtu.be/_jn_lhXw8mw
“In the past three weeks, our nation experienced 3 shootings in Isla Vista, California; Las Vegas Nevada; and Troutdale, Oregon for which we remembered the victims with a moment of silence. These shootings that resulted in 14 senseless deaths, received national media coverage, and sparked a national discussion on the need for better mental health policy. But mental health is only one factor in the gun violence epidemic.
In the same 3-week period, 175 people were shot in the streets of Chicago. None of these shootings made national headlines, sparked a national debate, or received a Congressional moment of silence. As a nation, we’ve become unfazed by urban violence.
But I’m not asking for more silence. We’ve been silent enough. We need action. I’ve introduced 3 bills that promote common sense gun reforms that don’t infringing on 2nd Amendment rights. These bills would highlight the public health risks associated with gun violence, help the Consumer Product Safety Commission set gun safety standards, and prohibit high risk individuals from possessing guns.
I urge my colleagues be a voice for American’s safety. Gun violence is more than mental, and Americans can no longer afford our silence.”
Source: robinkelly.house.gov
