Chairman Becerra: Congress Should Not Leave This Week Without Giving Us a Vote on Something Very Simple: "No Fly, No Buy"

Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (CA-34) was joined by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Joe Crowley (NY-14), Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), Democratic Assistant Leader James E. Clyburn (SC-6) and House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair Steve Israel (NY-3) for a press conference following today's Democratic Caucus meeting. A transcript of Chairman Becerra's remarks may be found below and video can be found here.

Chairman Becerra: "We just had another discussion at our Caucus meeting about doing something, taking action as a result of this weekend's mass killings -- the atrocities that occurred in Orlando, Florida. To all those who are thinking about the victims and their families, we say: #StandWithOrlando, and #EstamosConOrlando.

"I just have to note that for the Latino community, this has hit especially hard because when you see the names, they're human beings, but I don't believe that people in the Latino community would've expected that so many of the names would have had Spanish language surnames. It brings home to so many of us that this could be your family as well.

"I think we have a pretty simple message coming out of our Democratic caucus. This Congress should not leave this week without giving us a vote on something very simple: No Fly, No Buy. If you can't fly because you're on a watch list by our government and you are not allowed on an airplane, you should not be allowed to enter a gun shop and walk out with an assault weapon.

"We're now beginning to hear some Republicans, including presumptive Republican nominee for President Donald Trump say that there's something to No Fly, No Buy. The difficulty is this: this Congress is asleep at the wheel. It has been a do-nothing Congress, especially when it comes to the issue of gun safety. And there is no guarantee that anyone in Congress will have the opportunity to vote, to prohibit someone who is on a no-fly list from being able to purchase a weapon.

"Between 2004 to 2014, [more than] two-thousand terrorist suspects legally purchased guns from the United States. It's time to stand with Orlando, or San Bernardino, or Charleston, or Newtown. The list could go on and on.

"It's time for us to stand and do something, not just to hold moments of silence. It's time for us to stand with Orlando. Estamos con Orlando."

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