Commentary: Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined Congressional Democrats on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in a protest to call for a vote on commonsense steps to protect families from gun violence. Video and audio feeds of the House floor were turned off during the sit-in, prompting Udall and others to share social media posts from the House floor.
Udall issued the following statement:
"I was proud to join House Democrats on the floor of the House to demand votes on commonsense legislation to prevent terror suspects and other dangerous people from obtaining guns. We owe it to the LGBT community, communities of color, and all children and families affected by gun violence to take these reasonable steps to prevent guns from falling into the hands of those who mean themselves or others harm.
"The American people have had enough. They overwhelmingly support measures to keep guns out of the wrong hands. And it seems like a no brainer to me that individuals who are known or suspected of being terrorists should not be able to buy firearms. We also need to expand background checks to ensure all gun sales are covered. I voted for both of these measures in the Senate earlier this week, but Republicans blocked their passage. And I will stand by my House colleagues in pushing for a vote — no matter how long it takes.
"Today was also a low point for public access to government and free speech when House Republicans cut off the C-SPAN broadcast of the House floor and prevented the public from seeing the House Democrats' protest. C-SPAN deserves credit for continuing to cover the events through alternative media. The public has a right to know what is — and what isn't — going on in Congress."