Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, let me set the record straight. Yes, we have people with mental health issues in America. So do other countries. Only here in America do we have widespread, fatal gun violence to the extent that we do, so spare us the lectures. I should say, under GOP Governor Greg Abbott, Texas is last--last--in the Nation for mental health access. Just one final thing. We keep hearing about the inconveniences of these proposals: safe storage, background checks, waiting lists. I get it. There may be some inconvenience here, but stack that up against the carnage, stack that up against the mass shootings, the daily killings in this country. I mean, for once, can we put that first over the inconvenience of going through a background check? This is a moment I hoped that we could actually do something, but instead we are complaining about inconveniences. Give me a break. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bowman).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman from Minnesota made a reference to the United States in comparison to other countries. I am holding this chart up here. You may not be able to see, but this is the number of gun deaths. The U.K. is way down here, France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, all free countries. You may not be able to see because it is so small, compared to the United States. You sure as hell can see the number of gun deaths here in the United States. It is unacceptable. It is unacceptable. And it is about time that Democrats and Republicans all agree that it is unacceptable, and that is what this debate is about. If we want to talk about other countries around the world that are free, lots of countries that enjoy freedom do not have the number of gun deaths and massacres. Their parliaments and their Congresses are not meeting to grieve over the execution and the mass killing of little children in schools like we do on a regular basis. The only question for people here is whether we are going to do anything or whether this is going to be business as usual: Take the money from the gun lobby and do nothing. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross), a distinguished member of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), a member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I began this debate by appealing to my colleagues to try to find common ground and come together and do something about this gun violence epidemic. And yet, we hear the same old tired red State versus blue State talking points directly from the gun lobby. Madam Speaker, since it was brought up, I include in the Record an April 4, 2022, Yahoo News article entitled, ``Republican-controlled States have higher murder rates than Democratic ones,'' according to the study. [From Yahoo! News, April 4, 2022] Republican-Controlled States Have Higher Murder Rates Than Democratic Ones: Study (By Ben Adler) Republican politicians routinely claim that cities run by Democrats have been experiencing crime waves caused by failed governance, but a new study shows murder rates are actually higher in states and cities controlled by Republicans. ``We're seeing murders in our cities, all Democrat-run,'' former President Donald Trump asserted at a March 26 rally in Georgia. ``People are afraid to go out.'' In February, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blamed Democrats for a 2018 law that reduced some federal prison sentences--even though it was signed by Trump after passing a GOP-controlled Congress. ``It's your party who voted in lockstep for the First Step Act that let thousands of violent felons on the street who have now committed innumerable violent crimes,'' Cotton said during a speech in the Senate. Last December, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, told Fox News viewers, ``America's most beautiful cities are indeed being ruined by liberal policies: There's a direct line between death and decay and liberal policies.'' But a comparison of violent crime rates in jurisdictions controlled by Democrats and Republicans tells a very different story. In fact, a new study from the center-left think tank Third Way shows that states won by Trump in the 2020 election have higher murder rates than those carried by Joe Biden. The highest murder rates, the study found, are often in conservative, rural states. The study found that murder rates in the 25 states Trump carried in 2020 are 40 percent higher overall than in the states Biden won. (The report used 2020 data because 2021 data is not yet fully available.) The five states with the highest per capita murder rate--Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama and Missouri--all lean Republican and voted for Trump. There are some examples of states Biden won in 2020 that also have high per capita murder rates, including New Mexico and Georgia, which have the seventh- and eighth-highest murder rates, respectively. And there are Trump-supporting states with low murder rates, such as Idaho and Utah. Broadly speaking, the South, and to a lesser extent the Midwest, has more murders per capita than the Northeast, interior West and West Coast, the study found. Those findings are consistent with a pattern that has existed for decades, in which the South has had higher rates of violent crime than the nation as a whole. ``We as criminologists have known this for quite some time,'' Jennifer Ortiz, a professor of criminology at Indiana University Southeast, told Yahoo News. ``States like Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have historically had high crime rates.'' Criminologists say research shows higher rates of violent crime are found in areas that have low average education levels, high rates of poverty and relatively modest access to government assistance. Those conditions characterize some portions of the American South. ``They are among the poorest states in our union,'' Ortiz said of the Deep South. ``They have among the highest rates of child poverty. They are among the least-educated states. They are among the states with the highest levels of substance abuse. All of those factors contribute to people engaging in criminal behavior.'' ``I thought that was a very good study,'' Richard Rosenfeld, a professor of criminology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and former president of the American Society of Criminology, told Yahoo News about the Third Way report. ``In Republican states, states with Republican governors, crime rates tend to be higher. I'm not certain that's related to the fact that the governor is a Republican, but it's a fact nonetheless.'' (While the Third Way study divided states by presidential vote in 2020, using gubernatorial party affiliation leads to similar results because most states have recently chosen the same party for governor and for president. Based on presidential vote, eight of the 10 states with the highest murder rates lean Republican, versus seven of the top 10 if one uses the governor's party.) Although murder rates tend to be highest in the South, the biggest increases in 2020 were found in the Great Plains and Midwest, according to Third Way. The largest jumps were in Wyoming (91.7 percent higher than in 2019), South Dakota (69 percent), Wisconsin (63.2 percent), Nebraska (59.1 percent) and Minnesota (58.1 percent). Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska all voted for Trump and have Republican governors. Wisconsin and Minnesota voted for Biden and are led by Democrats. Few large cities are governed by Republicans--only 26 of the 100 largest U.S. cities have Republican mayors--making apples-to-apples comparisons difficult. But cities that do have Republican mayors do not have lower murder rates than similarly sized Democratic-led cities, the study found. Some experts warn against the impulse to use crime data to score quick political points. ``Being a Republican or Democratic state or city is correlated with many other issues,'' David Weisburd, a professor of criminology and executive director of the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University, wrote in an email to Yahoo News. ``That means that the murder rate may be due to the state being Republican, or it may be due to the fact that Republican states have many other risk factors related to crime or murder rates. Even with a very comprehensive modeling of all of these factors, it is very difficult to get a valid causal result for explaining crime rates.'' That argument cuts both ways, however. Weisburd also thinks the claims of Trump and other Republicans who say Democrats have caused a crime wave in the cities and states they govern are unfounded. ``I don't think this argument can be supported no matter which way you go,'' Weisburd said. Murder rates in the U.S. rose dramatically in 2020 from record lows, and the increases are similar across states-- regardless of partisan preference. For homicides in 2020, Third Way found a 32.2 percent uptick in Trump-backing states versus a 30.8 percent rise in those that voted for Biden. Some states with large cities, such as New York and Pennsylvania, saw larger-than-average increases: New York went up 47 percent and Pennsylvania is up 39 percent. But the largest increases were in rural, Republican-led states, including Montana (+84 percent and South Dakota (+81 percent). The higher national murder rate is naturally causing public concern, although violent crime does remain far below its early 1990s high point. ``Using the FBI data, the violent crime rate fell 49 percent between 1993 and 2019,'' from 757 incidents per 100,000 people to 379 per 100,000, the Pew Research Center noted last November. Between 2019 and 2020, the murder rate jumped from 6 homicides per 100,000 people to 7.8 homicides per 100,000, but that was still 22 percent below the rate in 1991 of 10 homicides per 100,000.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, Republicans would rather point fingers than look in the mirror, but a recent study found that the highest murder rates are often in conservative, rural States. The five States with the highest per capita murder rate: Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri--all lean Republican. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the summary of a December 16, 2021, report from Everytown Research & Policy, entitled, ``City Dashboard: Murder and Gun Homicide Report.'' [From Everytown Research, Dec. 16, 2021] Summary: City Dashboard: Murder and Gun Homicide Report (By Everytown Research & Policy) In the midst of one public health epidemic, COVID-19, 2021 and 2020 were also two of the deadliest years on record for another public health crisis--gun violence. The United States saw a 33 percent increase from 2019 to 2020 in the rate of gun homicides. This upward trend continued--but slowed-- through the end of 2021 during which time there was an additional 7 percent increase in gun homicides relative to 2020. Due to limited funding and inconsistent data collection, data on city gun violence is too often old, incomplete, and conflicting from one federal agency to another. Below is the most recent, available, reliable data on murders (firearm and non-firearm) from 2016 to the first three quarters of 2021 and on gun homicides from 2016 to 2020 in nearly 500 cities.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I will debunk some myths. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco do not have the highest gun violence rates in the country. You don't measure gun violence rates by the raw number. These are big cities. Of course, they are going to have more gun deaths than other places. You measure these rates by measuring per 100,000 people. When you do that, these cities aren't even in the top 20. Jackson, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; St. Louis, Missouri; New Orleans; Memphis--the list goes on and on. Find a new talking point. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a February 28, 2018, piece from ABC News entitled, ``Trump calls for raising minimum age to buy all guns to 21.'' [From ABC News, Feb. 28, 2018] Trump Calls for Raising Minimum Age To Buy All Guns to 21 (By Jordyn Phelps) President Trump again called for raising the minimum legal age to purchase all guns to age 21 during a meeting with lawmakers on guns and school safety Wednesday, while suggesting that those who are staying silent on the topic are ``afraid'' to come up against the NRA, ``I'm going to give it a lot of consideration,'' Trump said. ``People aren't bringing it up because they're afraid to bring it up. You can't buy a handgun at 18, 19 or 20. You have to wait until you're 21. You could buy the weapon used in this horrible shooting at 18. You are going to decide--the people in this room pretty much--are going to decide. I would give very serious thought to it.'' While noting the NRA's opposition to proposals to raise the minimum age to purchase firearms, the president made the case that raising the minimum age is common sense. ``The NRA is opposed to it and I'm a fan of the NRA. No bigger fan. I'm a big fan of the NRA. These are great people. Great patriots. They love our country but that doesn't mean we have to agree on everything,'' Trump said. ``It doesn't make sense that I have to wait till I'm 21 to get a handgun but I can get this.'' The president also signaled his support for the Manchin- Toomey proposal that was defeated back in 2013, and is in the process of being reworked, that calls for expanding background checks on guns sales to include firearms sold at gun shows and on the internet. The president suggested that the measure failed back in 2013 because President Barack Obama was in office at the time, saying ``that was your problem,'' in reference to Obama. But in fact, Obama backed the bill at the time. He asked Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, if the bill he's sponsoring with Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, would proposing raising the purchasing age for certain guns. ``We don't address it,'' Toomey told the president. ``You know why, because you're afraid of the NRA,'' the president said in reply. Wednesday evening, the NRA responded to Trump's proposals. In a statement, spokesperson Jennifer Baker said: ``While today's meeting made for great tv, the gun-control proposals discussed would make for bad policy that would not keep our children safe. Instead of punishing law-abiding gun owners for the acts of a deranged lunatic our leaders should pass meaningful reforms that would actually prevent future tragedies.'' ``They can start by fixing the broken mental health system,'' her statement continued, ``strengthening background checks to ensure the records of people who are prohibited from possessing firearms are in the NICS system, securing our schools and preventing the dangerously mentally ill from accessing firearms.'' At the White House meeting, the president repeatedly expressed his support for legislation to improve the nation's background check system but said such a measure should not also include a provision to expand concealed carry law to allow people with concealed carry licenses to carry their firearms across state line. ``I'm with you but let it be a separate bill,'' Trump told Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, who was gunned down during a congressional baseball practice last year. ``You'll never get this passed if you add concealed carry to this, you'll never get it passed. I don't think--again, you'll never get it passed. We want to get something done.'' The president also vowed to ban bump stocks through executive action, telling the lawmakers that the rapid-fire devices are ``gone.'' ``I'm going to write that out. We can do that by executive order,'' the president said, noting that ``the lawyers'' are working on the language. Last week, Trump said he ordered the Justice Department to move to ban the rapid-fire devices that were used in the Las Vegas massacre last year. Bump stocks were not used in the Parkland shooting.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, the very person that everybody on the other side of the aisle is so afraid to take on, so frightened of, says that we should raise the age to 21. Madam Speaker, former President Donald Trump said it himself: ``You can't buy a handgun at 18, 19, or 20. You have to wait until you're 21. You could buy the weapon,'' meaning an AR-15, ``used in this horrible shooting at 18 . . . It doesn't make sense.'' I mean, come on. Trump said this in 2018, and these guys here are telling us that somehow this is a violation of the Constitution? Give me a break. We are here to try to save the lives of America's kids. And there should be more outrage on the other side of the aisle, not the usual talking points that we hear over and over and over again from the gun lobby. If this isn't important, then nothing is. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle), a distinguished member of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me remind everybody that 21 people were killed in Uvalde, 19 children. Ten people were killed in Buffalo. I say that because I think my colleagues need to be reminded about why we are here today, not to talk about the budget, but to talk about saving lives. I also remind them that the shooter in Buffalo and the shooter in Uvalde went in and legally purchased an AR-15 at 18 years old. Our bill that we are talking about here today would have prevented that. Whatever they are doing for the previous question--I don't know what it is--would not. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), a member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I will respond to the gentlewoman from Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record this Business Insider article entitled ``Host Republican leaders told their Members to vote against eight gun-safety bills, citing opposition from the NRA and Gun Owners of America.'' [From Insider, June 8, 2022] House Republican Leaders Told Their Members To Vote Against 8 Gun- Safety Bills, Citing Opposition From the NRA and Gun Owners of America (By Bryan Metzger) House Republicans are poised to vote against eight bills aimed at preventing gun violence on Tuesday, in part due to opposition from powerful pro-gun groups on the right. House Democratic leaders have scheduled votes for Wednesday evening on the ``Protecting Our Kids Act''--a package of seven gun violence-related measures that includes raising the age for legal purchase of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns to 21, closing the ``bump stock'' loophole, and other measures aimed at preventing the illegal trafficking of guns. The House will also vote on the ``Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act,'' a federal ``red flag'' bill that would allow family members and law enforcement officials to temporarily block firearm access to those who a court determines pose a danger to themselves or others. In a ``whip notice'' sent to rank-and-file members on Tuesday afternoon, House GOP leadership urged a ``no'' vote on all eight bills, referring to the seven-bill package as the ``Unconstitutional Gun Restrictions Act.'' They wrote that House Democrats had ``thrown together this reactionary package comprised of legislation that egregiously violates law-abiding citizens' 2nd Amendment rights and hinders Americans' ability to defend and protect themselves and their families.'' The email also noted the opposition of the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, including links to talking points from the NRA about both the gun package and the red flag law. Leaders also noted the opposition of Heritage Action for America, an advocacy group tied to the conservative Heritage Foundation. ``Due to the importance of this issue, votes on this legislation will be considered in future candidate ratings and endorsements by the NRA Political Victory Fund,'' declares one of the memos shared by party leaders. It's not uncommon for party leaders to note the opposition of outside groups to major pieces of legislation. For example, in a February whip notice urging Republicans to vote against a major piece of legislation aimed at boosting the US semiconductor industry, GOP leaders noted the opposition of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, National Taxpayers Union, and Americans for Prosperity. But the two gun groups' inclusion--and the NRA's threat to downgrade candidate ratings or withhold endorsements should any Republicans back the measures--underscores the enduring influence of pro-second amendment groups on the right, despite the NRA's recent financial troubles and shrinking membership.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, you got to be kidding me. The gentleman from Missouri comes down here for 3 minutes and unloads on everybody here about a technical provision that doesn't even spend any money. It is a technical provision to allow us to go forward with our appropriations work. Not a mention of the children who were killed in Uvalde or the people who were killed in Buffalo--not a mention. What the hell is wrong with this place? Madam Speaker, I include in the Record--since the gentleman didn't have the dignity to acknowledge those who were killed--the names of those who were murdered in Uvalde and Buffalo. Robb Elementary School--Uvalde, TX (May 24, 2022) 19 Children, 2 Teachers--21 Total Fatalities, 18 injured Makenna Lee Elrod, age 10; Layla Salazar, age 11; Maranda Mathis, age 11; Nevaeh Bravo, age 10; Jose Manuel Flores Jr., age 10; Xavier Lopez; age 10; Tess Marie Mata, age 10; Rojelio Torres, age 10; Eliahna ``Ellie'' Amyah Garcia, age 9; Eliahna A. Torres, age 10: Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, age 10; Jackie Cazares, age 9; Uziyah Garcia, age 10; Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, age 10; Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, age 10; Jailah Nicole Silguero, age 10; Amerie Jo Garza, 10; Alexandria ``Lexi'' Aniyah Rubio, age 10; Alithia Ramirez, age 10; Irma Garcia, age 48; and Eva Mireles, age 44.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman mentioned our gun laws, and just to demonstrate the absurdity of the gun laws that are in place, I include in the Record the Texas Parks & Wildlife ``Migratory Game Bird Hunting Methods'' list of regulations, which is valid September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2022. [From the Texas Parks & Wildlife, Sept. 1, 2021] Migratory Game Bird Hunting Methods (By Texas Parks & Wildlife) Harvest Information Program (HIP) No person shall hunt migratory game birds in this state unless that person is HIP-certified in Texas. The federally- mandated Harvest Information Program (HIP) improves harvest information for all migratory game birds. Hunters who buy a Migratory Game Bird Hunting Endorsement, including Super Combos, will be asked a few simple questions about their migratory bird hunting activities. Please report Migratory Game Bird bands. Check migratory game birds harvested (especially doves) for leg bands and report them to reportband.gov. Means and Methods Shotguns, lawful archery equipment, falconry, dogs, artificial decoys, and manual or mouth-operated bird calls are legal. A shotgun is the only legal firearm for hunting migratory game birds. Shotguns must not be larger than 10-gauge, must be fired from the shoulder, and must be incapable of holding more than three shells. Shotguns capable of holding more than three shells must be plugged with a one-piece filler which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun, so the gun's total capacity does not exceed three shells. Hunting is permitted in the open or from a blind or other type of concealment or from floating craft or motor boat provided that all motion resulting from sail or motor has ceased. Sails must be furled and motor turned off before shooting starts. A craft under power may be used to retrieve dead or crippled birds; however, crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power. No person, while hunting waterfowl anywhere in the state, may possess shotgun shells containing lead shot or loose lead shot for use in muzzleloaders. Approved shot includes steel (including copper, nickel or zinc-coated steel), bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer (e.g. moly-shot), and any other nontoxic material approved by the Director of the

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, shotguns used for duck hunting can't hold more than three shells. Let me repeat: In order to protect the duck population in Texas, shotguns cannot hold more than three shells. Imagine if our Republican friends could muster the same courage to protect America's children. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time on our side, and I am ready to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record Newsweek's May 27, 2022, article entitled ``More Children Have Been Shot Dead in 2022 Than Police in the Line of Duty.'' [From Newsweek, May 27, 2022] More Children Have Been Shot Dead in 2022 Than Police in the Line of Duty (By Gerrard Kaonga) More children have been shot and killed in the U.S. this year than police while on duty, according to new data. The Officer Down Memorial Page website records the death of police officers across the country and honors them for their service. As well as showing a picture of the deceased officer, it also shows where they were stationed, the date of their death and the cause. According to the website, in 2022, 20 officers have been killed after being involved in a shooting. In comparison, in 2022, 24 students have been killed as a result of shootings at school, according to data collected by Education Week. ``School shootings, terrifying to students, educators, parents and communities, always reignite polarizing debates about gun rights and school safety,'' the Education Week report read. ``To bring context to these debates, Education Week journalists began tracking shootings on K-12 school property that resulted in firearm-related injuries or deaths.'' According to the Education Week report, there have been 27 school shootings in 2022 and 119 in total since 2018, when they began tracking such incidents. The Robb Elementary School shooting, which resulted in 21 people being killed--19 children and two adult staff, lifted the number of children killed in school shootings above the number of police officers shot dead in the line of duty. The other school shootings that brought the total number to 24 deaths included an attack at Tanglewood Middle School, Greenville, South Carolina, on March 31. A 12-year old student was shot and killed at the school. At the time, this was the youngest age a student had been killed in a school shooting in 2022. Another incident that contributed was the Eisenhower High School shooting, Yakima, Washington, on March 15, that resulted in one student being killed and another injured. There was also a shooting at East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 7 that resulted in a 15-year-old boy being killed and two female students getting injured. The second shooting of 2022 that resulted in a fatality of a student was at the South Education Center, Richfield, Minnesota, on February 1. Large Number of School Shootings A shooting outside the South Education Center left a 15- year-old student dead and a 17-year-old student critically wounded. The first incident of 2022 that resulted in a student's death was at Oliver Citywide Academy, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 19. This resulted in a 15-year-old boy being shot and killed as he waited to go home. President Joe Biden addressed the issue in a speech on Tuesday and said it was time America stood up to the gun manufacturing industry. Biden also reflected on the frequency of mass shootings in America in his speech. ``It's been 3,448 days--10 years since I stood up at a high school in Connecticut--a grade school in Connecticut, where another gunman massacred 26 people, including 20 first- graders, at Sandy Hook Elementary School,'' he said. ``Since then, there have been over 900 incidents of gunfire reported on school grounds. Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Santa Fe High School in Texas. Oxford High School in Michigan. The list goes on and on,'' Biden said. ``And the list grows when it includes mass shootings at places like movie theaters, houses of worship, and, as we saw just 10 days ago, at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.'' ``I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. And don't tell me we can't have an impact on this carnage,'' Biden said.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time. Madam Speaker, will the bills before us pass the Senate? I sure as hell hope so. None of these proposals are extreme. Quite the opposite. In fact, they are what the vast majority of people in this country-- Democrats, Republicans, Independents--want us to do. Maybe they will get changed in the Senate. Even if our Senate colleagues do not take up these exact bills, I will tell you what this process we are going through will absolutely do and why our efforts here are worthwhile. This process will unequivocally show where each and every one of us stand in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy. More importantly, it will demonstrate which of the solutions we are putting forward have majority support in this half of the Congress. As our Senate colleagues discuss gun violence solutions, they will have no doubt as to where the House of Representatives stands on red flag laws; raising the age to purchase a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21; gun trafficking and straw purchases; ghost guns; safe storage of firearms, particularly when a minor is likely to gain access; bump stocks; and large-capacity magazines. We will have separate votes on all of these issues. This is on top of the background check bill and the Charleston loophole bills we have already sent them. This week there will be no excuses. We will vote on these ideas one issue at a time. None of these proposals are aimed at taking guns away from law-abiding citizens. They are aimed at stopping people from getting slaughtered in their schools, in their churches, in grocery stores, and in their homes. These ideas won't solve every problem or stop every shooting, but no sane person can come to the conclusion that these proposals would not save lives. I know that things like background checks and waiting until you are 21 to buy an AR-15 and smaller magazine capacity may seem like an inconvenience to some people. But when stacked up against the carnage we have seen in this country, I think we can all live with a little inconvenience. Madam Speaker, I cannot be any clearer. These bills will keep people from dying, but only if they become law or if similar bills become law. I know that everybody hates Congress. Hell, I even hate Congress sometimes. But, Madam Speaker, don't listen to the NRA or extremists on this bill. Vote your conscience. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the bills included in this rule are beneficial measures that will improve the lives of many Americans. But I take a moment to highlight two provisions that I am glad to see here. First is a resolution that I introduced with my colleague on the Rules Committee, Mr. Burgess, to urge schools to improve nutrition training for America's medical professionals. For far too long, our country has overlooked and undervalued the essential role diet and nutrition play in our health. How do we know? Look at the data. U.S. medical schools devote an average of 19 hours to nutrition education over 4 years, with little of that related to diet and common health conditions. You heard that right: 19 hours on nutrition over 4 years. All the while, more than 40 percent of American adults have been obese and 1 in 10 suffer from diabetes. Both are chronic health problems directly related to nutrition that cost Medicare and Medicaid millions and millions of dollars to treat. We cannot continue to ignore the correlation between diet and health. It is time to make sure that our medical providers are equipped with the best knowledge and tools to help their patients. I thank Mr. Burgess for his partnership on this important bipartisan effort. Nutrition, food access, and health are not only directly connected to each other; they are directly connected to our progress as a Nation. It is time we treat them as such. Second, I will touch briefly on an amendment that I am offering to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022. Massachusetts arts and cultural group MASSCreative first brought the idea behind this amendment to my attention. I thank them for all they do in support of the creative industry. My amendment will help ensure workers with creative skill sets are better integrated into the workforce. We need people with creative skill sets to make art and write plays, but we also need them on construction sites and web design teams. People with creative skill sets belong everywhere work is being done, and that is what my amendment is about. Creative workers have been some of the hardest hit over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we continue to make our way out of the pandemic, we have to support them in innovative and imaginative ways. Yet too often, our narrow vision of what creative workers can or should do doesn't fit the needs or demands of today's workforce. This amendment is about supporting them, so they are better integrated into the workforce. Not only will this study help assess how we can continue to help creative workers get back on their feet, but it will also illuminate how we can continue to meet the labor needs of the most in-demand industries.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Gordon Hargrove, a community advocate who has spent his career fighting to deliver basic services to the most vulnerable people in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1957, while attending Worcester State College, Mr. Hargrove began working as part-time staff at the multi-service neighborhood center, the Friendly House. Over the course of 65 years, Mr. Hargrove worked from his position as a volunteer at the Friendly House to the role of Executive Director, in which he has served for 52 years. During this time, Mr. Hargrove has used his passion and knowledge to fortify the Friendly House as an important service provider to Worcester's immigrant and low-income communities. Mr. Hargrove played an integral role in securing funding for the construction of the main Friendly House building, which allowed for collaborative projects with family shelters across Central Massachusetts. In the 70s, he helped coordinate providing services to children with behavioral issues and advocated for health insurance providers to fund mental health services. Mr. Hargrove also spearheaded a program to provide meals to elders--making the Friendly House the first shelter in Worcester to do so. Today, most community service sites offer elder meal programs, undoubtedly due to the work of the Friendly House and Mr. Hargrove's leadership. Madam Speaker, the impact of Mr. Hargrove's advocacy cannot be understated. Countless people have had food on their tables, roofs over their heads, and a job to go to everyday because of the services provided by the Friendly House and the community-based solutions Mr. Hargrove has championed. There has never been a problem too big to take on or a family he didn't try to help. For over half a century, Mr. Hargrove has led the Friendly House with nothing but compassion and goodness in his heart. He has devoted his professional life to being of service to others and the community. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress and all the people whose lives were changed for the better because of Mr. Hargrove's work, it is my great privilege to congratulate Mr. Gordon Hargrove on his retirement, and to thank him for his tireless efforts to create a more equitable world.