Transcript of Pelosi Remarks at Press Event on the Capitol Steps on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

Contact: Speaker's Press Office,

202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined House Democrats on the House East Front Steps of the United States Capitol for a press event ahead of House passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. I wish I could say ‘good morning' to all of you. But after the decision handed down by the Supreme Court yesterday, compounded by that one this morning, it's a challenge.

But we're here to say that whatever they do, we are going to be acting to make our country safer for our children. Appalling fact that more children die from gun violence than any other cause: car accidents or cancer. We must reduce gun violence in our country For The Children.

Democrats have taken actions again and again to combat gun violence. Following the horror of Uvalde and Buffalo, we advanced landmark legislation to stop the bloodshed, because this time has to be different.

Last night, a strong bipartisan vote in the Senate advanced legislation for the first time in three decades. I say to my colleagues: while we are – it isn't everything we would have liked to see in legislation, it takes us down the road, the path to more safety, saving lives. Let us not judge the legislation for what it does not do, but respect it for what it does. And what it does is something that our inspiration in all of this in the House side, Representative Lucy McBath, has said to us: ‘We must get something done For The Children.' She herself – speaks for herself, but also for so many other survivors.

Our colleagues are gathered here with pictures of those who had been lost. All of this accompanied by family members of those who have been lost. It is our constant resolve that we will not stop until the job is done. Congressman Mike Thompson, the Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, called us together here today. As it would be, he is speaking on the Floor in favor of the legislation. Oh, he's here. All right.

It's my pleasure now, with gratitude, to yield to the distinguished Chair of the Task Force. As soon as we're finished here, we'll vote on the bill. We'll send it to the President for his signature, with gratitude to President Biden for his great leadership on this subject For The Children.

Mr. Chairman, Mike Thompson.

***

Thank you very much. Thank you to my colleagues for their very important messages, and also want to join them in acknowledging the activists.

As you've all heard me say again and again: our inside maneuvering can only accomplish so much. It's the outside mobilization that makes all the difference in the world. And much of that mobilization has been spontaneous and organic – not organized by us, but springing from the heartbreak of it all.

I know that I have a coin, a challenge coin, ‘Stand with Parkland.' Stand with Parkland. And in standing with Parkland, we stand with all of you, with all of you. And again, we will not rest until the job is done. And now, without voice or training, we are now going to sing God Bless America.

# # #