Transcript of Speaker Pelosi’s Remarks at Bill Enrollment Ceremony for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats held a bill enrollment ceremony for S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Good afternoon, everyone. This is a very special occasion for us. We are honoring a promise in honor of all those who have lost loved ones to gun violence. The Congress sends to the President now our nation's first major gun safety legislation in three decades.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act includes key House proposals to combat gun violence, including by banning straw purchases, Congresswoman Robin Kelly's legislation. Moving to close the boyfriend loophole, which we have all been advocating, even in the Violence Against Women Act – Sheila Jackson Lee was going to be joining us. And encouraging states to establish extreme risk protection order laws, legislation advanced by Congresswoman McBath and Congressman Carbajal. Thank you both for that.

The Chairman of the Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention has been the source of ideas throughout all of our legislation. He is the author of the bipartisan background check legislation, as is Mr. Clyburn – the auxiliary legislation to that. We still want to work to pass that. But his leadership has been so important in channeling the energies, the ideas, the urgency of gun violence prevention for a long time now, in the Congress. He would agree that our spiritual leader in all of this, our inspiration, is Congresswoman McBath. She has been a voice of concern, the voice of reason, and a voice of acceptance of this legislation. Because, of course, we always want more. But when she said that this was important and an important step forward, then that was the message we all had. Not to judge the legislation by what it does not do, but for – respect it for what it does. And what it does is save lives.

So now I'm honored to sign the legislation, to send it to the President – right away – for his signature, with gratitude for his leadership in gun violence prevention for decades. Thank you.

Now, let's show you what this is here. These words are words of protection for America's children, and to think that the leading cause of death in America's children is gun violence – more than cancer, more than car accidents, more than anything. We know how important this legislation is. Mr. Chairman, would you like to say something?

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Speaker Pelosi. Thank you. Well, I accept your kind words on behalf of the House Democrats. And I was so glad that we had a very strong, bipartisan vote today.

But I take issue with why we are here, because I was here in 1994 when we passed the Brady bill, under the leadership of the President – then-Senator, Mr. Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Joe Biden. And it was hard. It was really hard.

Now, and – Chuck Schumer was our leader in the House on the legislation. And now, of course, he took the lead in the Senate on this legislation, working with a bipartisan group. So this fresh energy of new people in the Congress has brought us this long overdue legislation. And chief among them is Congresswoman McBath.

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Speaker Pelosi. And we talk a great deal about some of the mass murders that have taken place and how shocking it is, and have a moment of silence and prayers. But really haven't done too much about it. Congresswoman Kelly talks about what happens every day on the streets of our country, with her straw purchase legislation cutting into that.

Congresswoman Kelly?

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Speaker Pelosi. And Mr. Carbajal was very instrumental in – well, he'll tell you about it, with the red flag laws and Congresswoman McBath.

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Speaker Pelosi. Thank you.

Now we're going to quickly leave here so that this bill can be taken to the President, for his signature, so it can become the law of the land.

Thank you.

[Applause]