Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) took to the House floor Monday in response to the Nashville school shooting, saying he was furious at Republican “cowards” who “don’t give a damn” about children and won’t back gun control legislation.
The freshman congressman slammed his Republican colleagues in a terse but fiery speech:
I rise today because I am furious, angry that three kids died today in Nashville, Tennessee. Angry that hundreds of parents had to cry their eyes out today not knowing if their child would come home from school, and angry that we have to live day after day when we turn on the news and see rampant gun violence claiming life after life.
And all of this is because politicians in this chamber that have been bought and paid for by the NRA, that put profits over people, over human lives. Cowards who wasted our time last week passing a Parental Bill of Rights, not giving a damn about the rights of children to go to their classroom without the fear of being gunned down due to senseless gun violence.
Nashville police say a heavily-armed 28-year-old woman shot and killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school Monday before the suspect was shot and killed by police. The victims were identified as nine-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney; 61-year-old Cynthia Peak; 60-year-old Katherine Koonce; and 61-year-old Mike Hill. The three adults all worked at the school, according to officials.
The Parental Bill of Rights passed last week by House Republicans says “the rights of parents are honored and protected in the Nation’s public schools.” These rights would include the right to see classroom curricula, access to a list of reading materials available in school libraries, and involvement in student privacy matters. The measure is unlikely to pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
In 2022, 14 House Republicans crossed party lines to vote for a bipartisan bill on federal gun safety regulation. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden and provides for school safety measures but fell short of outlawing semi-automatic assault rifles.
Frost had a warning for Republicans who continue to push for Second Amendment rights and eschew what Democrats call “common-sense gun legislation.”
“It is likely that at this moment, the next mass shooter is planning their shooting,” Frost said. “What will this chamber do about it? I filed my bill last week to simply create a federal office of gun violence prevention. Three kids are dead today and every day that we wait, 100 more people die. I pray to God there are some Republicans in this chamber that can help support my legislation to save lives.”
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com