President Barack Obama, flanked by family members of shooting victims, spoke from the White House Wednesday in a renewed effort from the bully pulpit to push Congress on gun control.
On the 100th day since the Newtown school shooting that killed 20 children and six teachers, Obama called on Congress to pass measures on universal background checks and penalties for those who buy guns for those who can’t legally purchase firearms themselves. He reasoned a majority of Americans favored the gun control policies, despite opposition from Republican lawmakers in Congress.
“There are some powerful voices on the other side that are interested in running out the clock or changing the subject or drowning out the majority of the American people to prevent any of these reforms from happening at all. They’re doing everything they can to make all our progress collapse under the weight of fear and frustration, or their assumption is that people will just forget about it,” Obama said.
Obama urged Americans to speak with their representatives about their support for passing gun legislation, and to not forget the children of Sandy Hook.
“Less than 100 days ago that happened, and the entire country was shocked. And the entire country pledged we would do something about it and that this time would be different. Shame on us if we’ve forgotten,” Obama said, as lips quivered from the mothers standing behind him. ”I haven’t forgotten those kids. Shame on us if we’ve forgotten.”
Following the speech, Rep. Steve Stockman of Friendswood tweeted that Obama’s call to action had fallen on deaf ears.
Sen. Ted Cruz called out the president for his continual use of the Sandy Hook shootings to push Congress to pass the legislation. “It is saddening to see the President today, once again, try to take advantage of this tragic murder to promote an agenda that will do nothing to stop violent crime, but will undermine the constitutional rights of all law-abiding Americans,” Cruz said in a statement.
The freshman senator reaffirmed his commitment to using “any procedural means necessary” to block gun legislation that would limit second amendment rights. Cruz has threatened that he along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, would filibuster any gun control proposals that would further “restrict” the Second Amendment. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., most recently joined the group.
Despite the Republican unity, a few Texas Democrats spoke out in favor of Obama’s efforts. Dallas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson tweeted her support of the President following his speech.
Source: Houston Chronicle
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