Pelosi Remarks at Press Event to Demand Votes on Meaningful Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

Leader Pelosi's Opening Remarks:

"Good morning, everyone.  Isn't it a great honor to be here on the steps of the Capitol with Congressman John Lewis, our hero?

[Applause]

"I know that all of our colleagues who are gathered here join me in saying what a special privilege it is to be with the people in orange shirts on the steps of the Capitol – 91 people representing every day in our country, 91 people die of gun violence.  We welcome you with reverence, with reverence – a number that is a horrible number that we must change and ending gun violence is our purpose.

"Today, we're bringing a human scale to the statistic home to the Capitol – again, represented by the 91 people in orange shirts standing on the steps of the Capitol.  Let us all welcome them.

[Applause]

"Every day, this is the scope of the tragedy that this Congress, the majority of this Congress, is trying to ignore.  All across America, communities are coming together to call on Congress to act on gun violence.  Last week, House Democrats had more than 40 events on our Wednesday Day of Action alone, and events throughout the week.  Inspired by John Lewis, Americans are sitting in and speaking out and standing up to demand a vote on common sense gun violence legislation.

[Applause]

"Families are take their grief and frustration at the daily tragedy of gun violence in our nation and turning it into action.  And we thank the families for their strength, for their courage, to turn their grief into action so other families do not suffer.  Let's hear it for the families.

[ Applause ]

"The overwhelming majority of Americans want action to keep guns out of the hands of suspect suspected terrorists and criminal criminals – real action, not a bill written by the gun lobby that they're going to try to bring up today that will do nothing to keep our community safe.  But the Republican House still refuses to disarm hate and allow a vote on common sense gun violence protection.  Two bills: No Fly, No Buy; Close the loopholes on the background checks.

"Today, we're here to listen to the stories, where Members of Congress will be speaking at a minimum.  Listen to the stories of the families' lost loved ones to gun violence.  Listen to the heartbreak that ripples through a community with each gun death.  We owe these families more than our thoughts and prayers and moments of silence, we owe them a vote in the House on commonsense, life-saving legislation that will prevent more families from experiencing their suffering.

[Applause]

"Today, we are welcoming – and we're going to have them come forward – Catherine Bodine, Antwan Reeves, Barbara Parker, Jill Robinson, Cheryl Brooks, DeAndra Yates, Kate Ranta and Andrew Goddard.  And they are going to tell their own stories rather than us introducing them with their stories.  Before we hear from them though, I want to yield to a very distinguished leader in this fight to prevent gun violence, our distinguished Democratic Whip, Mr. Hoyer, of Maryland."

Leader Pelosi's Closing Remarks:

"Thank you so much.  Thank you, Andrew Goddard.  Thank you, Catherine Bodine.  Thank you, Antwan Reeves.  Thank you, Barbara Parker.  Thank you, Jill Robinson.  Thank you, Cheryl Brooks.  Thank you, DeAndra Yates.  Thank you, Kate Ranta.  Let us all applaud them for their generosity of spirit.

[Applause]

"Let us thank all of those who have come to join us to bear witness to their sad stories, to their testimonials.  Thank you all for being with us.  You can applaud yourselves.  That's an applause line.

[Applause]

"You and our Members of Congress who are here – I thank them for hearing the testimonials of these families.  Thank you.  Will you thank our Members for bearing witness?

"My colleagues, my friends, our witnesses, we are on sacred ground.  We're talking about life and death.  We're talking about compassion.  We're talking about having an answer.  No Fly, No Buy, expand the background checks – it's that simple.

"To the families who have testified, to the 91 representing the 91 people who die every day from gun violence, on behalf of our colleagues, we give you this pledge: we will not stop until our job is done to pass this legislation.  And what better leader could we have to enforce this value, to make this legislative change, than our American hero and icon, Congressman John Lewis."