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Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., claimed Wednesday that she is the only member of the U.S. House who is a victim of gun violence, appearing to forget Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., in her pitch for more gun control.
“I believe I’m the only member of this House that is a victim of gun violence,” Speier said on the House floor. “My body is riddled with bullets. I have a divot in my leg that’s the size of a football. I’ve skin grafts on all parts of my body. I live with that every single day.”
Speier survived five gunshot wounds after being ambushed by Peoples Temple members during the 1978 Jonestown massacre. Her Republican colleague, Scalise, was shot during a 2017 congressional baseball game by a left-wing domestic terrorist who was targeting Republicans. They both suffered life-threatening injuries from the shootings.
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., attends a news conference outside the Capitol to announce the bipartisan I Am Vanessa Guill?n Act, on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, named after Army Spc. Vanessa Guill?n, who was murdered while stationed at Fort Hood in Texas. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Speier on Wednesday called on Republicans to support gun control legislation after a spate of mass shootings rocked the country.
“A victim of gun violence is traumatized over and over again,” she said. “I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, if we had a 737 that crashed every month for 12 months in this country, we would do something about it. And that’s what’s happening to children in this country. 1,500 kids die of gun violence every single year. We have to do something about it.”
The House passed legislation Wednesday to set the minimum age to buy semi-automatic weapons at 21 and to prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds.
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The legislation passed 223-204, mostly along party lines. It has little chance of clearing the Senate as it pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks.
Fox News’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
