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As the House of Representatives returned to Washington from the July 4 District Work Period, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) spoke on the House floor demanding House Speaker Paul Ryan allow votes on bipartisan, commonsense gun violence prevention bills:

Mr. Speaker,

Today I rise to demand action to prevent gun violence.

Every year more than 30,000 Americans die from gun violence.

The American Medical Association has identified this situation as a “public health crisis.”

There are two immediate, common sense solutions:

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) met today with grassroots Minnesota members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America to discuss the urgent need for Congressional action to prevent gun violence.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt:

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a victory for women and their families and a rejection of Republican attempts to deny a woman’s right to access reproductive healthcare.

As Minnesotans celebrate Pride this weekend and people throughout the United States mark LGBT Pride Month, I am once again reminded of how proud I am to be a strong ally of the LGBT community.

From my 1993 vote in the Minnesota State House protecting LGBT Minnesotans from workplace discrimination to celebrating last year's Supreme Court decision ushering in marriage equality across America, the progress we have made in advancing the rights of the LGBT community has been remarkable.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-MN-04) vowed today to continue to demand action on gun violence prevention legislation as Democrats ended their historic 26-hour sit-in on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"The American people are demanding action to keep their families and communities safe from gun violence,” Congresswoman McCollum said. “Unfortunately, House Republicans refuse to allow an up-or-down vote on bills that prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns and require background checks for all gun purchases.”

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) joined 175 House Democrats sitting-in on the House Floor today demanding action on gun violence.

Congresswoman McCollum joined the sit-in shortly after 1 p.m., following the conclusion of the House Appropriations Committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2017 Homeland Security appropriations bill. In the markup, Congresswoman McCollum spoke in strong support of the “No Fly, No Buy” amendment that prevents suspected terrorists from purchasing guns or explosives. It was defeated in committee.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) met today with members of the Irondale High School robotics team visiting Washington after an award-winning performance in the FIRST Robotics Championships, held in St. Louis, Mo. at the end of April.

Twenty Members of Congress, led by U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN), wrote to President Obama today urging him to appoint a “Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth,” to engage diplomatically with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and human rights groups in the region to address serious human rights abuses against Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation. (The full text of the letter is below; the signed letter and an accompanying fact sheet are attached.)