Mike Thompson

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Denise Keller, who is being honored today by the Napa County Office of Education as a 2017 Napa County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Keller completed her Bachelor of Art in Sociology at Sonoma State University, before going on to earn her Social Studies Education Specialist Credential at San Francisco State University. She began her career working as a Special Day Class Teacher in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, and then transitioned to working as a Resource Specialist for the Elk Grove Unified School District. In 2004, Ms. Keller joined American Canyon Middle School as a Resource Specialist, and began teaching 6th Grade Social Studies in 2010. In her classroom, Ms. Keller brings history to life and encourages her students to appreciate the relevance of our past to their lives today. She employs her extensive knowledge of project-based learning to engage her students in the classroom and instill a passion for learning. Furthermore, Ms. Keller has taken on many new challenges to support students and her colleagues at American Canyon Middle School. She serves as the yearbook advisor, encouraging students' creativity and leadership. Ms. Keller also chairs the Social Studies Department and is the 6th Grade Team Leader, coordinating and supporting the work of faculty. Mr. Speaker, Denise Keller is a dedicated teacher who uses her time and knowledge to inspire young students to strive for excellence, and it is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dana Simon, who is being honored today by the Napa County Office of Education as a 2017 Napa County Teacher of the Year. Ms. Simon grew up in Lafayette, California and completed her Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Southern California. After completing her English teaching credential at San Francisco State University, Ms. Simon began teaching at Pleasanton Middle School in 1996, and has worked with middle schoolers ever since. She completed her Master of Science in Education focusing on Curriculum and Instruction in 2007, and has been working with students at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in St. Helena, California since 2010. Ms. Simon makes her classroom a creative and fun environment to inspire students to become engaged learners. She sets high expectations for her students and provides them with the support and encouragement they need to achieve great results. Outside the classroom, Ms. Simon is a member of the school's Technology Committee and the Advancement Via Individual Determination Site Team, ensuring all students have access to the resources they need to succeed. Even with her busy teaching schedule, Ms. Simon has found time to engage with important civic causes. She serves as a member of the Napa Family Law Justice Center's Strategic Planning Committee, and she previously sat on the board of Congregation Beth Shalom. Mr. Speaker, Dana Simon has dedicated two decades of her career to inspiring students in our community to learn and strive for excellence, both through her engaging work in the classroom and as a community leader. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Robin Gonzales, who is retiring after 34 years of service to her community with the Martinez Police Department and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. Ms. Gonzales began her career in law enforcement as a Cadet with the Martinez Police Department in 1982. She joined the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department as a Dispatcher the following year, before returning to the Martinez Police Department in 1985, where she continued working as a Dispatcher. Ms. Gonzales eventually became a Police Assistant specializing in Evidence and Training, and is known for her professionalism and commitment to serving our community. Over the course of her career, Ms. Gonzales has maintained strong connections with law enforcement organizations. She has been a member of the International Association of Identification for 30 years, and previously served as the President of the Law Enforcement Association of Property Management. To advance her investigative work, Ms. Gonzales became the first certified Crime Scene Investigator in California. Even with her busy work schedule, Ms. Gonzales finds time to teach classes at Diablo Valley College to encourage girls to study physical sciences. Mr. Speaker, Robin Gonzales has served her community with admirable professionalism and dedication for over three decades. It is fitting and proper that we honor her here today and extend our best wishes for an enjoyable retirement.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Senator Lois Wolk upon her retirement from the California State Senate. Senator Wolk has lived in Davis, California since 1978, and began her career in public service in 1990 when she was elected to the Davis City Council. During her service as a councilmember, Senator Wolk prioritized initiatives that improved environmental sustainability and expanded access to health services for the people of Davis, including leading the efforts to restore and preserve Putah Creek and to build Sutter Davis Hospital. Senator Wolk was elected to serve as a Yolo County Supervisor in 1998, and while serving on the board of Supervisors she spearheaded efforts to improve children's welfare. The culmination of those efforts was the creation of Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center for abused children, a Crisis Nursery, and a new Juvenile Hall. Given the importance of agriculture to Yolo County's economy, Senator Wolk led a major revision of the county's Agricultural Zoning Ordinance as a supervisor to preserve the county's land quality for generations to come. After her service as County Supervisor, Senator Wolk was elected to the California State Assembly for three consecutive terms, serving from 2002 until 2008. She became the first woman to chair the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, where she advanced legislation addressing flood protection, the crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and climate change. Senator Wolk was elected to the California State Senate in 2008. As a senator, she has introduced and advanced legislation related to environmental protections and social equality. She also spearheaded the creation of a statewide registry to ensure more children are immunized and to increase consumer access to affordable clean energy. Most recently, Senator Wolk led the effort to pass the groundbreaking End of Life Option Act, ensuring that Californians suffering from terminal illness can choose to die on their own terms. Senator Wolk currently serves as the Majority Whip and chairs the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation. Mr. Speaker, Senator Wolk is my friend and a valued colleague, and has been an exemplary public servant for close to three decades and it is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Angelo Tsakopoulos on his 80th birthday for his legendary career in real estate development and his long history of philanthropy in California. Born in Greece, Mr. Tsakopoulos came to America at 15, sailing into New York City under the inspiring gaze of the Statue of Liberty. He moved to Chicago to live with family, before eventually continuing west to the San Joaquin Valley in California. Encouraged by a close mentor to continue his education, Mr. Tsakopoulos studied political science and business at California State University, Sacramento. While attending school, Mr. Tsakopoulos supported himself as a real estate salesman, foreshadowing his highly successful career in real estate development. Mr. Tsakopoulos founded AKT Development Corporation in Sacramento, California, which became a leading real estate developer in the area under his leadership and has built tens of thousands of homes and more than 30 million square feet of office space. Mr. Tsakopoulos and his family have also been dedicated supporters of civic and community causes. The Tsakopoulos family has donated land and funds to cultural institutions including the Greek Orthodox Church, the Crocker Art Museum, and the Roseville Arts Center. Mr. Tsakopoulos has also had a strong commitment to supporting education through the Angelo and Sofia Tsakopoulos Endowment Fund and as a co-chair for California State University, Sacramento's Capital Campaign. To support the study and celebration of Greek heritage and history, Mr. Tsakopoulos served as an instrumental figure in the creation of the S.B. Vryonis Center for the Study of Hellenism in Sacramento. Mr. Speaker, Angelo Tsakopoulos has led a tremendously successful career and has become a leader in both business and community causes in our state. His work and philanthropy have left an indelible mark on Sacramento and our larger California community, and it is therefore fitting and proper that we honor Mr. Tsakopoulos here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him also for taking the time and the effort to put this Special Order together on such an important issue, important to all Americans. I was a little bit taken aback. I came down to the floor early to participate in this Special Order, and I heard my friend from across the aisle who preceded us in Special Orders talking about the effort on the part of Democrats today in our 1-minute remarks of pushing for a vote on the issue of gun violence prevention. Mr. Cicilline, I think, laid it out clearly what it is we are trying to do. We want a vote on two bills. One is a bill that would require background checks for anyone who purchases a firearm through a commercial sale. So it would expand existing law that says that you have to have a background check if you purchase a firearm at a licensed dealer to include other commercial sales: ads in a newspaper, online purchases, or gun show purchases. Then the other bill is the bill that has been referred to as no fly, no buy, that says, if you are too dangerous in the eyes of the FBI to fly on an airplane, then you shouldn't be able to go into a gun store, pass a background check, and buy any gun that you want. My friend from across the aisle said that this was clever and cute. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it: this is not clever nor is it cute. This is serious business. People are dying every day at the hands of someone using a firearm. In the 3\1/2\ years since 20 elementary schoolchildren were murdered at Sandy Hook in Connecticut, 1,196 mass shootings have taken place in our country. Over 34,000 people have been killed by someone using a gun. We have had over 500 legislative days. What have we done during that time? We have had 31--31--moments of silence for those people who were murdered, but we have had zero votes on the issue of gun violence prevention, not one debate and not one vote on expanding background checks. The gentleman across the aisle, I think, used some misleading statements when he talked today. He said that we should enforce the laws that are on the books. Well, when the background check bill was put into the law, there weren't many people buying guns online. As a matter of fact, we weren't buying much online. It was a long time ago, and online shopping had not come about as it is today, so the law didn't include that. So, obviously, we need to look at change in bills as we go. What we want to do is we want to make sure that criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill have a difficult time getting guns. The best way to do that, and our first line of defense in accomplishing that, is background checks. You know, Mr. Speaker. You have been in the courtroom. You have seen these things happen before. You know this issue inside and out. They work. Every day, 170 felons are prohibited from purchasing firearms because of background checks. Every day, 50 domestic abusers are prohibited from buying firearms because of the background checks. Yet they can leave the gun store, they can go online or go to a gun show, and they can buy the same gun without a background check that they were prohibited from buying in the gun store. My friend from across the aisle, I think, was also misleading when he said that Democrats want to focus on the gun. There is no focusing on the gun. We know that guns don't get up and shoot somebody on their own. We are trying to focus on the person trying to buy that gun. That is why we want to do a background check. If the person is a criminal, if the person is a terrorist, if the person is a drug addict or a domestic abuser or dangerously mentally ill, the law says then they can't buy a gun at a licensed dealer. Well, we have got this gaping loophole where they can leave the licensed dealer, they can go to the gun show or they can go online, and they can buy that gun. We want to stop that from happening. My friend from across the aisle also said that these laws don't work. Well, we know they work. I just gave you the numbers on how many felons and domestic abusers are stopped every day from purchasing a gun. But you can look at the studies that were done in two States. One was in Connecticut. Connecticut passed a permit-to-purchase law in their State where you had to get the background check to purchase. What happened in that State after that law was passed? A 40 percent drop in homicide by firearms. Now, go down the road to Missouri, who repealed their requirement to permit-to-purchase and what happened? A 25 percent increase in homicides by firearms. They work. These laws work, and we ought to make sure they apply to gun sales in all commercial settings. My friend across the aisle in his Special Order said that you just have to look at States where there are tough laws regarding gun violence to see that they don't work. Well, it is really interesting because there are just 10 States that supply about half--49 percent--of the guns that cross State lines before being recovered in crimes. Those States account for nearly 21,000 interstate crime guns recovered in 2009. So people go to the areas where it is easy for them to access firearms, they buy them, and then they bring them to the other States and they use them. It is not enough just to have a tough law. My home State of California requires background checks for all gun purchases. It is not a big deal. I bought a gun over the last break. As you all know, my friends here know, I am a gun guy. I support the Second Amendment. I have firearms. I use them. I collect them. I hunt with them. I bought one over the last break from a very close personal family friend, yet the law says we still had to get a background check. It wasn't any heavy lift. I took it to a dealer, they did the background check, and in 10 days I got my gun. California is a stricter State than many. Nineteen States go beyond what the Federal Government requires. The Federal Government requires, remember, that you have to have a background check if you purchase a gun at a licensed dealer. California says all guns have to go through a background check. As I say, it is not a heavy lift. But Californians can leave our State and they can go to another State, one of the 34 States that only have the Federal requirement-- they can go to another State, they can go online, they can go to a newspaper ad, or they can go to a gun show--and they can purchase the same firearm that they would be prohibited from purchasing if they had to undergo a background check. We know it happens. At the State of the Union, when we honored victims of gun violence, a man from Wisconsin was here because his sister took out a restraining order on her husband. Her husband tried to buy a gun, and that restraining order stopped him from being able to buy the gun. Well, he went home. He went online. He found someone that was selling the same gun, who wasn't a licensed dealer. He bought that gun. He took it to the beauty shop where his wife was, and he killed her, and he killed two other people. Now, as Mr. Cicilline said, we can't stop every act of gun violence by passing any bill. And the people that say they don't support the background check bill because it wouldn't have worked in Mr. Clyburn's district in Charleston, or it wouldn't have worked in Mr. Perlmutter's district in the movie theater, or it wouldn't have worked in Orlando at the Pulse nightclub, they say, well, we only will support a bill that will work in all of these cases, well, the only bill that will do that is getting rid of all guns. There is not support on our side of the aisle for that, and there is not support on the other side of the aisle for that. It is a disingenuous argument. Everything that we can do to stop people from being killed by someone with a gun we should be working on doing. The bills that we are talking about today are bipartisan bills. You know that, Mr. Speaker. Our bill has not only bipartisan support, it has 197 coauthors. I don't think there has ever been a time in the history of Congress that there has been a gun bill in this House that has had 197 coauthors. That is really out of the ordinary. Folks have lined up to support this because they know it is good public policy. The American people know it is good public policy. Ninety percent of the American population believe that we should expand background checks to include all commercial sales. Eighty-five percent believe that we should enact the no fly, no buy. They say if you are too dangerous to fly, you should be too dangerous to buy. They are bipartisan. Both of those measures are pro-Second Amendment. They are certainly commonsense, and they most certainly have the support of the majority of the American people. We should be doing everything we can to pass those bills. We shouldn't be going home. And I know that sometimes a hyperbole takes over. I don't for a moment think that every Member in this body is going home to sit on the beach. I know what most Members do, if not all Members. We go home and we work in our districts. You are going to do that. I am going to do that. Mr. Clyburn, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Cicilline, we are all going to go home, we are going to meet with our constituents, and we are going to do our work. But the point that we are trying to make is we shouldn't leave this body, we shouldn't leave this House, the people's House, to go home to do our work there without first passing this gun violence prevention legislation that is bipartisan, supported by the American people, and pro-Second Amendment--measures that will do a little bit more to keep guns away from criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill. Mr. Speaker, we should be doing that. We should be doing that here today before we leave on this 7-week recess.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Herb Lamb, whom the Napa County Farm Bureau posthumously named the 2016 Agriculturalist of the Year. Herb passed away on December 10, 2014, after 64 remarkable years. A native of Vallejo, California, Herb moved with his family to Napa when he was eight. After graduating with a degree in Soil Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he returned to Napa and started a vineyard consulting business. Herb and his business partner, Dennis Hansen, opened the Napa Valley Ag Supply in 1983, one of the first agricultural chemical businesses in the Napa Valley. Herb knew Napa vineyards like the back of his hand. In his 35 years of work in agriculture, he became acquainted with nearly every vineyard manager and winery owner in our Napa community. From large landowners developing vineyard properties to local homeowners wanting a secret weapon to kill a backyard orchard pest, Herb offered everyone the same knowledgeable consideration and interest. Herb volunteered his time often, and our community remembers him for his kindness coupled with a sincere desire to help. He was a supporter of the local 4-H and Future Farmers of America, a former member of the St. Helena Rotary, a Native Son of the Golden West, and served on the board of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Mr. Speaker, Herb Lamb was known as a legend for his knowledge of the Napa Valley and commitment to our wine community, as well as his gentle and jovial spirit. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of David Grabill, who passed away on June 9, 2016, after 74 remarkable years. Mr. Grabill led a long and successful career in law and social justice advocacy, and worked hard to ensure that disadvantaged members of our community had access to top notch legal representation. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Yale University, before earning his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. Over the course of a diverse and illustrious career, Mr. Grabill earned admission to the bar for the District of Columbia, Indiana, California, West Virginia, and the Ogallala Sioux Tribe. In these different jurisdictions, Mr. Grabill worked to ensure that our country's promise of equal justice under the law was not just an ideal, but a reality. He regularly represented victims of housing discrimination in both federal and state courts, and also represented Native American tribes and interests in Escondido, California. Many of Mr. Grabill's cases led to major policy changes to better support the interests of disadvantaged groups. While working in West Virginia, Mr. Grabill successfully led the lawsuit that overturned West Virginia's unconstitutional ban on abortion, allowing the state's first women's health center to open and provide safe and legal abortion services. The case Sonoma County Housing Now v. City of Healdsburg, settled in 1989, resulted in zoning for 500 new apartments and updated policies to encourage affordable housing development. Thanks to Mr. Grabill's work on another case, the City of Santa Rosa agreed to plan for 3000 additional affordable housing units and to build the 80-bed Samuel Jones homeless shelter. Mr. Grabill co-founded the Sonoma County Housing Advocacy Group, which fights for more local affordable housing development and represents low-income individuals seeking housing. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Chapter of the ACLU from 1996 until 2003 and on the Executive Board of the Accountable Development Coalition from 2005 until 2010. Mr. Speaker, David Grabill was a generous person and a fierce advocate for those less fortunate, and therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, Republican leaders are recessing the House for 7 weeks without their taking a single vote on legislation to help stop the mass gun violence that has become far too common in our country. More than 30 people are killed every day by someone who uses a gun. Do the math. That means, by the time the House comes back from the summer recess, in 52 days, over 1,560 Americans may have been killed by someone who was using a gun. We can't wait for more innocent lives to be cut short by someone using a gun. We need to vote on bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment no fly, no buy and comprehensive background check legislation to help keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them--terrorists, criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill. Mr. Speaker, it is wrong; it is irresponsible; it is dangerous to send us home without giving us a vote on this important bipartisan legislation. Give us a vote. Let us do the work that the American people sent us here to do.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sandy Elles, the 2016 recipient of the Napa County Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award in honor of her service as the Executive Director for the past fifteen years. A native of Burlington, New Jersey Ms. Elles earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning from Rutgers University. After moving west to California, Ms. Elles built a successful career as both a business leader and public servant. Ms. Elles worked with Blue & Gold Fleet in San Francisco from 1981 until 2001, while also serving on the Cotati City Council from 1990 to 1998. During that time, she received the prestigious American Planning Association award for Distinguished Leadership from an Elected Official, and the Sonoma County Conservation Council recognized Ms. Elles as the 1996 Environmentalist of the Year. After retiring from Blue & Gold Fleet, Ms. Elles served as Executive Director of the Napa County Farm Bureau from 2001 until June 2016, providing guidance to Napa Valley farmers. Under her direction, the Napa County Farm Bureau won the California Farm Bureau Federation Golden State Hall of Fame Award for the best County Farm Bureau in both 2009 and 2010. Ms. Elles has also been a leader in many other community organizations, including the Napa Chamber of Commerce and Jack L. Davies Napa Valley Agricultural Land Preservation Fund. She was also an instrumental figure in launching ferry service to the San Francisco Giants downtown ballpark from 1998 to 2000. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Elles has led an impressive career in both business and public service and has dedicated her time and skills to ensuring the success of our community's agriculture industry. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tim Tesconi upon his induction into the Sonoma County Farm Bureau's Hall of Fame for his 43 years of service to our local agriculture community and commitment to preserving agricultural land throughout our county. A third generation Sonoma County resident, Mr. Tesconi grew up on a dairy farm in Santa Rosa and was a Future Farmer of America (FFA) during his time at Santa Rosa High School. He later went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Chico and completed graduate work in Journalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia before dedicating his professional life to Sonoma County's agriculture community. Mr. Tesconi has held a number of positions during his impressive career that spanned over four decades. For 33 years Mr. Tesconi worked as an agriculture reporter for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Mr. Tesconi's outstanding coverage of the North Bay farming community made him a household name and led to his appointment to multiple local boards including the 4-H Foundation of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Farm Trails, and the Santa Rosa Junior College Ag. Trust. For the last 10 years of his career, Mr. Tesconi worked as the Community Relations Coordinator and later the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. His dedication to our agricultural and wine communities has strengthened our Sonoma County community as a whole. Mr. Tesconi is admired by his peers for his unrivaled depth of knowledge, passion, and unwavering advocacy on behalf of our agriculture community. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Tesconi has spent his entire career working to strengthen and preserve agriculture's role as the backbone of our local economy, natural landscapes, and way of life in Sonoma County. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Robert Mondavi Winery, which today is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its groundbreaking by founder and winemaking pioneer Robert Mondavi. Robert Mondavi embarked on an ambitious venture in 1966 to make our Napa Valley a world class wine region. Mondavi's winery became the first major winery built in the Napa Valley since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. He carefully selected the historic To Kalon Vineyard as the site for his new winery to showcase the best qualities of Napa grapes and wines. Mondavi selected architect Cliff May to design a winery inspired by California's historic missions. To enrich visitors' experience, the family began collecting art to fill the winery, including many works by the Californian sculptor Beniamino Bufano. The Robert Mondavi Winery soon became a cultural landmark in our community, hosting visitors for wine tastings and tours, as well as the first annual Summer Music Festival fundraiser for the Napa Valley Symphony in 1969. The Robert Mondavi Winery has achieved great success in producing high quality wines and advancing the art of winemaking. The winery has been a notable leader in pioneering environmentally sustainable agricultural practices to preserve our valley's land for future generations. In a testament to its commitment to innovation, the Robert Mondavi Winery has worked with NASA to use advanced sensory technology in vineyard management. Moreover, the Robert Mondavi Winery has been a generous community partner, providing well-paying jobs to Napans and giving back more than $150 million to local charities in our Valley. Mr. Speaker, the Robert Mondavi Winery has been a leading institution in our wine community for the past five decades and will continue to thrive with the dedication and support of its winemakers, owners, and staff. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor the winery here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kathleen H. Kane, the Executive Director of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, upon her retirement from an impressive career in affordable housing and community development that has spanned 30 years. Ms. Kane, a New Jersey native, completed her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and a Certificate of Proficiency in French at Franklin & Marshall College before administering federally-funded programs for municipalities in Vermont between 1986 and 1991. Ms. Kane then joined the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) in 1992, and has held a number of positions during her 24 years with the CDC. She joined the office as a supervisor of the Housing Rehabilitation loan and grants programs, and served as the Community Development Manager before assuming her current position as the CDC's Executive Director. Throughout her time with the CDC, Ms. Kane has overseen the administration of federal, state and local funds for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development activities while tirelessly working to improve our community through redevelopment. As an unwavering advocate of social justice, Kathleen is renowned among her peers for her intelligence, speed, and determination to improve the lives of those in need in our community. During her tenure with the CDC, she has worked to create 1,211 new apartments and 250 new ownership properties in Sonoma County, with several hundred more currently under development. Ms. Kane also sits on the Sonoma County Workforce Investment and Upstream Investments boards and the California Association of Housing Authorities. She has served the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials as an executive board member since 2004 and the Northern California/Nevada Executive Directors Association as Treasurer since 2009. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Kane has dedicated her career to creating safe, secure, and healthy housing for the people of Sonoma County. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor her here today and extend our best wishes for an enjoyable retirement and many happy memories to come with her husband, Bob, and children, Christopher and William.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, right outside of my district, two individuals with AK-47s held up an armored car. They shot one of the guards, and they took off and ended up in my district where police stopped them. One of them shot at the local police officer. He was able to hit him with his car. They arrested him. The other one with his AK-47 took off on the run. Two SWAT teams, the FBI, and the local police were out there trying to hunt this guy down with an AK-47. This is personal. This could happen in any of our districts. It is real personal for me because one of those cops looking for this guy was my son. I don't want my son or any of your sons having to go up against some criminal with any kind of gun, the least of which would be a long gun that would pierce most of the protection they have. Let's bring this bill to the floor. Let's get this thing done.

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question so that our ranking member can bring up his amendment to prevent suspected terrorists, people who are on the FBI's no-fly list, people who can't fly on an airplane because the FBI has determined it is too dangerous to the American public to allow these people to fly. But under existing law, they can legally buy a gun of their choice at a gun store. That is wrong. We all know it is wrong. Eighty-five percent of the American people believe that is wrong and support this measure. We believe that terrorists, that criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill should not be able to have easy access to guns. Background checks and the no fly, no buy legislation are the two ways to make it tougher for them to get guns. We are getting ready, under the Republican leadership, to run out of here and take weeks' worth of vacation without addressing this issue. I think it is shameful. We have had 34,000 deaths by someone using a gun since the Sandy Hook tragedy 3\1/2\ years ago. We have had 1,196 mass shootings since the Sandy Hook tragedy. We have held 31 moments of silence on this floor for people who have been killed in mass shootings, but we have had zero votes on any gun violence prevention legislation. That is wrong. The background check bill that we have before us is a bipartisan bill. As a matter of fact, there are 197 Members of Congress who are the coauthors of that bill, Democrats and Republicans. Ninety percent of the American people support it. Why won't the Republican leadership allow that bill to be voted on here on the floor? Every day there is another gun violence tragedy. We just had yesterday the memorial for the tragic situation in Dallas, Texas, where five police officers were murdered by someone using a gun. It is not a partisan issue. When somebody takes a gun and goes to kill someone, they don't ask if they are Democrats or if they are Republicans. We need to put the partisan strife aside and deal with this. We need to come to this floor and work on solutions that will help keep the people who sent us to Washington, D.C., safe. It is long past time.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, in the 1 month since 102 people were shot and 49 were killed in Orlando, Republican leadership in this House has done nothing to help stop the kind of mass gun violence that has claimed the lives of more than 34,000 people in the last 3\1/2\ years. No votes have been cast. No bills have been debated. No proposals have even been considered. Our side wants background checks and no fly, no buy so criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, and terrorists can't get guns. If you don't like our ideas, join with us and let's find common ground. Gun violence shouldn't be a partisan issue. When deranged gunmen open fire in a nightclub, a movie theater, a school, or on policemen, they don't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican. Let's pull together and address this problem. It is within our power to help save lives. Let's not waste it.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, why is it that more than 80 percent of NRA members and over 80 percent of gun owners support background checks? Well, I will tell you why. It is because they are responsible gun owners; and responsible gun owners understand that there is nothing wrong with making sure that a prospective gun buyer isn't a terrorist, a criminal, a domestic abuser, or dangerously mentally ill. The Supreme Court made that perfectly clear in District of Columbia v. Heller. The Court ruled that, while Americans have the right to keep and bear arms, there are no constitutional problems with laws prohibiting felons and the dangerously mentally ill from carrying guns. As a responsible gun owner myself, I will never give up my guns, and I will never ask law-abiding individuals without a history of dangerous mental illness to give up theirs. And, like other responsible gun owners, I understand that if gun violence continues unabated, then eventually we will see laws that place substantial and overly burdensome restrictions on our right to own guns. To reduce gun violence, we don't need to stop law-abiding citizens who use guns for hunting, sport shooting, and personal protection from obtaining those firearms. We need to stop terrorists, criminals, domestic abusers, and those with a history of dangerous mental illness from getting guns. Our first line of defense when it comes to making sure that guns don't fall into dangerous hands is to conduct a background check. And we know that, when used, background checks work. Every day, background checks stop more than 170 felons, some 50 domestic abusers, and nearly 20 fugitives from buying a gun. But sadly, a gaping loophole allows those same felons, dangerously mentally ill, and domestic abusers to bypass a background check in 34 States. All they have to do is go online or go to a gun show. That is wrong; that is dangerous; and that loophole needs to be closed. That is why it is long past time for the Republican leadership to allow a vote on H.R. 1217, my bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment bill to require a background check for all commercial gun sales. The bill bolsters the Second Amendment rights of lawful gun owners by making sure that the bad guys can't easily bypass background checks when trying to buy a gun. Just as important for the safety and security of our country and our fellow Americans is H.R. 1076, bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment legislation to prohibit those who are on the FBI's terrorist watch list from being able to legally buy a firearm. We should be able to agree that suspected terrorists shouldn't be able to legally buy a gun or guns of their choosing. As a responsible gun owner, I am fed up with those who are blindly opposed to background checks hiding behind bumper sticker slogans like: ``Guns don't kill people; people kill people.'' Everyone knows that guns don't kill people, which is exactly why responsible gun owners and the overwhelming majority of the American people understand that it is important to run a background check to see if the person buying the gun is a danger to our community. This debate isn't a choice between respecting the Second Amendment or reducing gun violence. As a responsible gun owner, I am tired of it being framed that way. It is about this Congress doing both. The Supreme Court's Heller ruling provides people on both sides with an opportunity to work within the confines of the Second Amendment to pass legislation that will reduce gun violence and keep our communities safe. Responsible gun owners across our country understand that. It is time for the Republican leadership in the House to understand it, too. Mr. Speaker, give us a vote.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, more than 80 percent of NRA members and over 80 percent of gun owners support background checks. It is because they are responsible gun owners. Responsible gun owners understand that there is nothing wrong with making sure that a prospective gun buyer isn't a terrorist, a criminal, a domestic abuser, or dangerously mentally ill. Our first line of defense when it comes to making sure that guns don't fall into dangerous hands is to conduct a background check. But sadly, a gaping loophole allows those same felons, domestic abusers, and fugitives to bypass a background check in 34 States by going online or to a gun show. That is why it is long past time for the Republican leadership to allow a vote on H.R. 1217, bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment legislation to require background checks for all commercial gun sales. This debate isn't a choice between respecting the Second Amendment or reducing gun violence. As a responsible gun owner, I am tired of it being framed that way. It is about this Congress doing both. Mr. Speaker, give us a vote.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nancy Watt for her 19 years of public service with Napa County, California, including 12 years as the Napa County Executive Officer, as she moves onto the next stage of her career. A native of Los Gatos, California, Ms. Watt earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, and then returned to the Bay Area and graduated with a Master's in Public Administration from Sonoma State University. Ms. Watt began her career with Napa County as a Management Analyst in 1997, before becoming the Assistant County Administrator in 1999. Her success and leadership in these roles led to her appointment as County Executive Officer in 2004, making her the first woman to hold that position in Napa County. Throughout her career, Ms. Watt has been an outstanding and inspiring public servant. As Executive Officer, she has led Napa County through challenging times including the Great Recession, the South Napa Earthquake, and the Valley Fire. Her integrity, keen judgment, and commitment to fairness kept the county moving and ensured its government met the needs of our community. Mr. Speaker, Nancy Watt has dedicated nearly two decades to serving Napa County and has set an inspiring example of devoted public service. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor her here today.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Our country is grieving. Innocent lives have been lost. Some of those were the brave public servants, public safety servants who were sworn to protect us. Families have been forever changed by the loss of a loved one, and concern and frustration have visited every corner of our country. As we move forward from last week's tragedies and work together to build a better nation and a brighter future for every citizen, let us remember that, as Members of Congress, each of us has a unique opportunity to effect meaningful change. We have the opportunity to pass legislation that can help put an end to gun violence that claims the lives of more than 30 Americans every day. We can't continue to stand by and allow this epidemic of gun violence to continue devastating our communities. Whether it is in a movie theater, on a college campus, at an elementary school, in a church, in a nightclub, or on the streets of our cities, far too many innocent lives have been cut short by someone using a gun. Let me give you some numbers: 3\1/2\--the number of years since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School; 34,000-plus--the number of people killed by someone using a gun since Sandy Hook; 1,196--the number of mass shootings in our country since Sandy Hook; 31--the number of moments of silence observed by this House for victims of gun violence since Sandy Hook; 525--the number of days the House has been in session since Sandy Hook; and, most sadly Zero--that is the number of times we have voted on gun violence prevention legislation on this floor. Think about that; 34,000 people killed by someone using a gun, and the lives of their loved ones forever changed. One of the 34,000 people killed by someone using a gun since the tragedy at Sandy Hook was a 10-year-old girl named Samantha. Her mother, Catherine, was brave enough to share her story last week on the steps of our Capitol. Catherine and her 10-year-old daughter were shot by a man who couldn't pass a background check, but because of a glaring loophole, he was able to buy a gun online without having to pass a background check. He used that gun to shoot Catherine and to kill Samantha. My bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment bill, H.R. 1217, would close this loophole and require a background check for all commercial gun sales, including those online, at gun shows, and through classified ads. Background checks are our first line of defense when it comes to stopping dangerous people from getting firearms. We know that they work. Every day, 170 felons are stopped from buying a gun because of a background check, and 50 domestic abusers are stopped from buying a gun because of background checks. Everyone says they want to keep guns away from dangerous people, but the only way to know if someone is dangerous is to conduct a background check. Without background checks, how do you know if a person buying a gun is a criminal or dangerously mentally ill? If the man who killed Catherine's daughter hadn't been able to easily bypass the background check by going online, Catherine's tragic story may have been different. It is long past time for the Republican leadership in this House to give us a vote on H.R. 1217. Just as important for the safety and security of our country and fellow Americans is H.R. 1076, bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment legislation to prohibit those on the FBI's terrorist watch list from being able to legally purchase firearms. This debate isn't a choice between respecting the Second Amendment or reducing gun violence; it is about this Congress doing both. Mr. Speaker, give us a vote.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I didn't come to the floor with prepared remarks today. I just came with a very urgent request. I ask that the Republican leadership hold a vote on our commonsense, bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment background check legislation and no fly, no buy legislation. Ninety percent of the American people support it. It is pro-Second Amendment. It is bipartisan. The background check now has 187 coauthors. But more important, most important, it works. Every day, 170 felons are stopped from buying firearms because of the background check. You don't know if a person who is trying to buy a firearm is a criminal, a domestic abuser, or is dangerously mentally ill unless you do a background check. Please, Mr. Speaker, please Republican leadership, bring these two bills to the floor. Criminals, domestic abusers, potential terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill should not be able to legally and easily purchase firearms.

Mr. THOMPSON of California

Mr. THOMPSON of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, we have been trying all day to convince the Republican leadership to bring up H.R. 1217. The reason being is that, for the last 3\1/2\ years, we have been trying to get a vote on this bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment bill. And in the course of those 3\1/ 2\ years, 34,000 people have been killed in our country by someone using a gun; 34,000. That is someone's child, someone's brother, someone's loved one, someone's wife, someone's husband, someone's partner; and it is absolutely shameful. Now we heard yesterday on the steps of the Capitol a terrifying story from a woman whose 10-year-old daughter was murdered by someone with a gun, someone who couldn't legally buy a gun because he couldn't pass a background check. He was a felon. But he got around that law because he went online. He found the same gun that you could buy in a gun store online but without the requirement to pass a background check. He bought that gun. He shot that brave woman, and he murdered her daughter. We can take a step today to do something about that. We can bring up the background check bill. It is bipartisan, pro-Second Amendment. It has 186 coauthors in this House. We can bring it up for a vote, and we can pass it. That will provide the first line of defense against people who shouldn't be able to buy guns from buying guns. Who are these people? Criminals, domestic abusers, terrorists, those who are dangerously mentally ill. They should not be able to get their hands on a gun. Now, can we stop it in every instance? No. But we know that background checks work. We know that we can make a real difference. Every day, every day in the United States of America, 170 felons are stopped from buying guns because of the background check program. Every day in the United States of America, 50 domestic abusers are stopped from buying a gun because of the background check system. It works. We know it works. Why won't we bring that bill up for a vote? That woman stood on the steps of the Capitol yesterday. That was a courageous stand she took. She lost her daughter. She watched her daughter be murdered right in front of her eyes. She, herself, was shot. But she is out advocating for sensible, pro-Second Amendment, reasonable gun laws that will protect people. That is brave. What is brave about avoiding a vote on this bill, a bipartisan bill, a bill that supports the Second Amendment, a bill that has both Democrats and Republicans as coauthors: 186 coauthors, a background check bill, perfectly constitutional, perfectly reasonable, supported by gun owners, both Democrats and Republicans, supported by 90 percent of the American people. Ninety percent of the people that we collectively represent are asking us: Do something about this tragedy that is taking place over 30 times a day in the streets of America. Ninety percent. That is unbelievable support. And what has the Republican leadership done? Nothing. Thirty-four thousand deaths in the last 3\1/2\ years that we have been trying to take up this bill; 1,182 mass shootings since we have tried to take up this bill; 30 moments of silence on the floor of this House; zero, zero votes to protect the people that we represent; zero votes to do anything regarding responsible, Second Amendment gun laws that will protect the people that we represent. Mr. Speaker, we are not asking for a lot. We are asking for a vote. We know that background checks work. Your side knows it, and our side know it. One of the previous speakers on the underlying bill today said: It is time to put politics aside and look at the policy. What in the world is going on with background checks? The policy is solid. They work. One hundred and seventy felons a day are stopped from getting a gun because of background checks. Fifty domestic abusers a day are stopped from getting a gun because of background checks. It sounds like pretty solid policy to me, Mr. Speaker. It must be the politics on the other side that are getting in the way. And the American people do not want that to continue. Ninety percent of the people who we represent are with us. They say that criminals, terrorists, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill should not be able to get guns and that the men and women who they send to the Congress of the United States of America should take responsible action to stop that from happening. Please, give us a vote on the background check bill. Help keep our constituents safe.

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Christopher Houston, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation to honor the memory of Kelly Russler; Jayden, her son, and Laing, her son; victims of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Chris Rhoden, Jr., a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.