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Rep. Kelly in Time Magazine: “To hell with the rules, kids are dying”


John Lewis, Robin Kelly, sit-in gun control, Time Magazine
Congressman John Lewis and Congresswoman Robin Kelly took to the floor of the House, literally, a year ago, to call for stronger gun control measures. (PHOTO SUPPLIED)

Blog Commentary-(ENEWSPF)- U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, IL-2, says in an op-ed in Time Magazine that she will “stand on the floor of the People’s House and count every dollar they took while sharing the name and story of an American killed by gun violence.”

Rep. Kelly reports that the NRA spent more than $30 million to elect President Donald Trump. “Speaker Ryan certainly got his cut, too: $5,950,” she writes.

So, she’s taking more action than she has before. Last year, Rep. Kelly was among the first who took to the floor of the United States House of Representatives, literally, to call for stronger gun control measures.

She writes:

For the $5,950 that Speaker Ryan took, I’m going to read 5,950 names. Today, I read the first 50 names — including 21 of Speaker Ryan’s constituents — killed by gun violence in recent years. Tragically, after today, I have another 5,900 names and stories to read. Which means that I’m going to keep coming to the floor, keep counting, keep saying names until we do something to end gun violence.

The representative lists four demands:

 

  • A vote on bipartisan legislation to ensure a background check on every gun sale,
  • A vote on bipartisan federal gun trafficking bill to stop guns from one state from fueling violence in other,
  • A vote on a jobs bill that creates opportunity so kids pick up pencils and books instead of guns, and
  • A vote on reinstat ing the assault weapons ban because weapons of war have no place on Main Street.

She concludes:

Now, I know that some will call this a stunt. FOX News will question my patriotism; I’ll be attacked by snowflake #OathKeepers on Twitter. And yes, I’ll get death threats because I dared to talk about gun safety legislation that will save lives. Still others will claim that I broke the rules and breached protocol. To them, I say: “To hell with the rules, kids are dying.”

Representative Kelly is vice chair of the Democratic Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

And a force to be reckoned with herself.

Related Article:

“At What Cost Does House Leadership Inaction Come?” Asks Congresswoman Robin Kelly (Video)


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