Gun Violence Prevention

Now that Congress has adjourned for a seven week district work period, I’m sad to report that the House has decided to kick the can down the road on a number of critical issues facing our nation.

"Gun to the right. No gun to the left" was the greeting heard by attendees entering the cavernous hall in Crown Point, Ind., that hosted the Central Indiana Gun and Knife Show. The Industrial Arts Building on the Lake County Fairgrounds has played host to garden shows and home improvement and craft vendors. But on a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, the rambling, 90-year-old brick building played host to products that were of an altogether different nature.

Following the late-night killing of five police officers in Dallas and two men in Minnesota and Louisiana in the days before, top local leaders asked Illinoisans for unity.

Local congressional leaders converged on downtown Chicago Wednesday as part of a nationwide effort to raise public awareness about the current stalemate in Washington over gun reform.

Democrats from Illinois spoke out Wednesday during a rare, raucous sit-in on the House floor, demanding votes on gun control. They threw decorum out the window and, with C-SPAN's camera shut off, spread the word with tweets, snapshots and video.

WASHINGTON – Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., was one of the ringleaders behind the House Democratic sit-in on Wednesday, designed to pressure Republicans for votes on gun control measures, fueled unexpectedly by social media when House cameras were turned off.

Well yes, another mass shooting, this one more deadly than any before it. Oman Mateen’s actions yesterday morning are being ascribed to the influence of ISIS, homophobia, mental instability, and the availability of high powered weapons. So, what can government do? Also, the impact on and reaction from American Muslims and the LGBT community. These are our three points of discussion tonight. Congressman Mike Quigley is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and he is Vice Chair of the Congressional LGBT Quality Caucus, and we have him on the phone.