03.14.18

Durbin: President Trump And Congressional Republicans Should Listen To Students, Majority Of Americans And Finally Act To Help Prevent Gun Violence

During Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Parkland shooting, Durbin calls on Republicans to stand up to the gun sales lobby

WASHINGTON—As thousands of students across the United States walked out of their classrooms to demand action on gun violence, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to finally stand up to the gun sales lobby and act to help prevent gun violence and mass shootings in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.  The hearing was held in response to the February 14, 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 14 students and three faculty members and wounded 16 more.

“Students from Parkland have inspired students across the United States of America to finally stand up and say to us, to the politicians, enough.  Enough.  I just have to say, the 17 lives in Parkland, Florida, are worth a lot more than the weak response we’ve heard from this committee and from the President,” said Durbin.  “I believe when 97 percent of the American people agree that we should have universal background checks to keep guns out of the hands of people who misuse them and the students march, we ought to listen.  When overwhelmingly Americans say we have got to get rid of assault weapons and these high-capacity magazine clips, we ought to listen.  When they tell us that the sale of long guns, rifles, and others to people under the age of 21 is dangerous, we ought to listen.” 

Durbin continued, “And instead what we have, sadly, are weak responses all around.  And why?  Well, in a lucid moment a couple of weeks ago, the President identified it – politicians are petrified by the National Rifle Association.  And the question we face very honestly is whether we are petrified by them.  I’m not.  I don’t get their money, I don’t get their support, and I don’t care to ever have it.  And the question is whether the members of the NRA will step up and join us and do something about this.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is available here.

Durbin questioned FBI Acting Deputy Director David Bowdich as to whether the FBI has the authority to deny a gun sale to a person based on information that the person has threatened to commit a mass shooting, if the person has not been convicted of a crime or does not otherwise fall within the prohibited categories for buying a gun under federal or state law.

In today’s hearing, Durbin questioned FBI Acting Deputy Director David Bowdich; ATF Acting Director Thomas Brandon; and U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center Chief Dr. Lina Alathari.  In another panel, Durbin questioned Ryan Petty, father of 14-year-old Parkland shooting victim Alaina Petty; Katherine Posada, language arts teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; and Michael Beckerman, President and CEO of the Internet Association.

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