Pelosi Remarks at House Democrats' ‘Domestic Violence and Guns: An Epidemic for Women and Families’ Steering & Policy Committee Hearing

Contact: Drew Hammill, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks today at a House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee hearing today entitled "Domestic Violence and Guns: An Epidemic for Women and Families." Below are the Leader's opening and closing remarks:

Leader Pelosi's Opening Remarks:

"Thank you, Congressman Thompson, Chairman Thompson of the task force. As we gather here, we recognize that just last night, a woman was killed near a Target store in Germantown in what authorities say was a homicide, which they think was from a former partner – another personal violence situation.

"As I yield to our co-Chairs of the Steering & Policy Committee I want to join them in thanking and welcoming Roberta Valente, Karolina Szatkowski, Ruth Glenn, Lisette Johnson and Anita Alvarez. We all look forward to your testimony and we thank you for your leadership on this issue and your presence here today.

"And now I want to yield to the co-Chair of the Steering & Policy [Committee] – emphasis on the policy side – to Congresswoman Donna Edwards who has been a champion on this issue and a leader in the Congress and before coming to Congress on this issue of domestic violence and the issue of guns. Congresswoman Edwards."

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"Thank you very much. Thank you to all of our witnesses for your very, very profound, and moving, and hopefully action-provoking testimony. I hope that you know how much we appreciate your being here, by the introductions you have received from our colleagues, and by the number of our colleagues who are with us.

"I just want to take a moment before I yield to our distinguished co-Chairs, with their permission, to say: we're gathered in this room where, many times, we have come together on this subject. And many of those times, Vice President Biden has been here with us. And on a number of occasions, he has been here to console the [families of the victims] – of Newtown, of Tucson, of Aurora, and the rest. He'll be in a room with them, with standing on the issue of having lost a child many years ago. And now he's suffering again.

"But in all of that time, he's been a champion on this issue of gun violence – the Violence Against Women Act, when he was the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, the crime bill that had this gun [violence] prevention legislation in it. So I think, as we gather here today, we want to extend to him our deepest sympathy on his recent loss – and also, for sharing what is deep in his heart with so many over time.

"And I thank all of you for your very, very, very moving [testimony] – and it's just incomprehensible, really, to understand how people take those actions. But your strength is really very inspiring. With that, I yield to Congresswoman Edwards."

Leader Pelosi's Closing Remarks:

"I want to thank all of you for coming today. Again, your compelling and generous testimony is a great help to us. We have many challenges to face to get the job done, but we promise we will do it. I want to thank Mr. Thompson for his leadership, just 24/7 on this subject – a gun owner, a veteran of the Vietnam War, recognized, Purple Heart – and he just knows how to use guns, and what the dangers are, and how to protect and defend, as is our oath of office.

"I am going to give the last word to our co-Chairs here, and I thank them for putting together this very, very important hearing. And once again, thank all of you for being here. I just want to say one thing: this issue about respect for women is bigger. You know, at other meetings, we're talking about trafficking of women; and at other meetings, we're talking about how do we help victims of domestic violence to have the legal assistance to proceed, when the income of the family is tested – as to whether they would qualify for legal services.

"So there are so many issues that intersect around this issue. You have taken us to the heart of the problem, both here today, and in your leadership work. We greatly appreciate it, and admire you for that. And I yield to Congresswoman Edwards."

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"Will you yield? Because I promised you the last word, so I'm going to yield back to you. But I just want to say that we do not want to waste anybody's time. You came, others came, our colleagues – I'm so proud of them. We could make introductions that are very stunning about each one of them about how committed they are to this issue. And scores of our Members are wearing orange today with their commitment – not just wearing the color, but the commitment that goes with it. We will not stop until the job is done. That is really – you have to understand. We're not leaving here and saying: well, we put some more on the record and hopefully that will move people. We cannot stop until the job is done. People's lives depend on it and we know that.

"Again, I yield back to give the last word to Rosa."

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