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Biden Rebukes Congress on Gun Control, Calling Inaction 'Irrational'
Thursday, June 16, 2016 10:07 AM
By: Joe Crowe
Vice President Joe Biden said that inaction by Congress on keeping guns out of the wrong hands "borders on the irrational," according to the Washington Examiner.
Biden noted his disbelief that several "common sense" laws that Congress has not passed, such as barring people on the no-fly list from buying guns. Referring to Congress, he said, "What are these guys and women thinking?"
Biden made the comments Wednesday at a D.C. fundraiser for families of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting victims. The Newtown, Conn., school was the site of the 2012 massacre in which 20 children were killed.
"That was the saddest day of our entire administration - when it took so many innocent, beautiful little lives," Biden said.
He added that he had hoped progress on gun control laws would have happened by now, but referred to sites where other shooting attacks have taken place since 2012.
"You would have thought several years later that on matters related to rational gun safety, we would have made some progress by now," Biden said. "But Virginia Tech, Oak Creek, Charleston, San Bernardino, and now Orlando. …"
Biden noted how it took him seven years to pass a crime bill in 1994, but could only get enough votes if he agreed to a 10-year term limit. Biden said he was disappointed when President George W. Bush did not extend the ban in 2004.
He pointed out that if former Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore had defeated Bush in 2000, the ban would still exist.
"Had Al Gore won that election—I think he won it anyway—a lot would be different. We would still have that in place … and God only knows how many lives would be changed."
"There's no reason we should ever stop," he said about supporting gun control, and said he would continue helping after he leaves office.
Biden said he empathized with many in the crowd whose children had died before their parents, noting that two of his children have died. He said they belong to a "lousy, stinking club."
"I cannot tell you how much I admire your courage," he told the audience.
During Biden's speaking engagement, Democratic senators were holding a 14-hour filibuster on the Senate floor, which ended when Sen. Chris Murphy said he had gotten promises for votes on two gun control measures, according to CNN.
