House condemns Isla Vista shooting

The House on Tuesday passed a resolution by voice vote to condemn the May 23 mass shooting in Isla Vista, Calif.

Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), who represents the district where the shooting occurred, said Congress must do more to prevent gun violence.

{mosads}”We must not let the drumbeat fall silent. Congress has the power to act, and we must,” Capps said. “It is wrong to think we can do nothing to stop this carnage.”

Rep. Jackie Speier (R-Calif.) noted that the Isla Vista shooting was one of many gun massacres in recent months – and days. One student was shot and killed inside Reynolds High School outside of Portland, Ore. just Tuesday morning, and a Las Vegas couple shot and killed two police officers and a civilian on Sunday.

“Americans, outraged by our inability to get anything done on this issue, are waiting for us to come to our senses and to act,” Speier said.

“What’s it going to take, colleagues? What’s it going to take?” Speier asked.

The resolution praises the “brave response” of law enforcement and calls for a “reduction of violence” in the U.S. But it offers no policy prescriptions, saying only that the House “remains committed to working to help prevent tragedies like this from happening again.”

Two weeks ago, the House voted 260-145 to provide an extra $19.5 million in grant funding for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). But apart from that amendment to the 2015 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill, no legislative action on gun control is anticipated at this point.