Gun violence hearing - latest: Republican claims Democrats using 11-year-old Uvalde victim for political gain

House Oversight Committee holds hearing to hear stories of gun violence’s impact on families

Related video: Buffalo police chief says slain officer killed in mass shooting ‘was the good guy with a gun’

The House Oversight Committee met on Wednesday for its own response to the twin massacres in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York following the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Tuesday regarding the rise of domestic terrorism.

Family members of the victims of the two shootings arrived on Capitol Hill for the first time since the two tragedies unfolded as a bipartisan group in the Senate met to discuss a path forward on firearms and school security legislation.

Lawmakers are debating a number of potential responses to the two deadly shootings, which both involved AR-15-style rifles wielded by suspects under the age of 21. The suspect in Buffalo, unlike in Uvalde, is thought to have had a clear racist motive for his attack.

But any path to legislation reaching Joe Biden’s desk must pass through the evenly-divided Senate, where it will need the votes of at least ten Republicans to pass.

On Tuesday, actor Matthew McConnaughey gave an impassioned speech on guns to the White House press.

Key Points

• McConaughey denies political ambitions
• Pro-gun groups warn followers to be ready for ‘battle’ at Capitol
• Uvalde pediatrician says he'll 'never forget' cries of families seeking news about their children
• Buffalo police chief debunks Republican argument saying slain officer was the ‘good guy with a gun’
• ‘America is inherently violent,’ mother of injured grocery store worker says

[8 June 2022 19:52 · Gustaf Kilander]

Silicon Valley Democrat suggests social media companies bear responsibility in Uvalde shooting

Silicon Valley progressive Democrat Ro Khanna of California suggested that social media companies might be partly responsible for not intervening when the Uvalde shooter posted images of his rifles and sent messages regarding violent acts.

“It is crazy to me that you can have people under 18 talking about shootings and mass shootings, and these companies are taking no action,” he said.

[8 June 2022 20:00 · Gustaf.Kilander]

AOC says number of shootings in US is ‘internationally embarrassing'

[8 June 2022 20:07 · Gustaf Kilander]

Democrat compares Peloton treadmill accident reaction to unintentional shootings by children

[8 June 2022 20:20 · Gustaf Kilander]

PHOTOS: Republicans and Democrats argue over gun control at House hearing

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 8, 2022 (REUTERS)

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 (AP)

Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, June 8, 2022 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2022 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 8, 2022 (REUTERS)

U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 8, 2022 (REUTERS)

[8 June 2022 20:32 · Gustaf Kilander]

‘How dare you misstate the law?’: Democrat goes after Heritage Foundation over House gun control bill

[8 June 2022 20:37 · Gustaf Kilander]

Biden says primary results shows it’s time to act on crime and gun violence

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that Tuesday night’s election results show that it’s time to act on crime and gun violence.

Speaking to the press before boarding Air Force One to head to California, where San Francisco’s district attorney was recalled and a former Republican came ahead of a more progressive Democrat in Los Angeles’ mayor’s race, which will be decided in a runoff in November.

“The voters sent a clear message last night,” Mr Biden said. “Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence.”

“The first major bill we passed ... we gave the states and localities billions of dollars, billions of dollars and then encouraged them to use it to hire police officers and reform the police department,” he added. “Very few have done it.”

Mr Biden noted that he sent a $300m request to Congress for additional officers.

“It’s time they move. It’s time states and the localities spend the money they have to deal with crime, as well as retrain police officers, as well as provide for more community policing,” he said.

[8 June 2022 20:43 · John Bowden]

AOC unleashes on gun manufacturers for taking ‘blood money’ at House hearing

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the profits of America’s firearms manufacturers the “one thing more important to lobbyists and the gun industry than children and houses of faith” in searing comments made during Wednesday’s hearing of the House Oversight Committee.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez asked several questions of witnesses including Rebecca Pringle, president of the National Education Assocation, before asserting that major manufacturers of guns in America were making “blood money” off of the deaths of school children and other victims of gun violence.

[8 June 2022 21:15 · Gustaf Kilander]

‘Schools are not safe anymore’: Father of student injured in Uvalde shooting calls for change

[8 June 2022 21:45 · Gustaf Kilander]

PHOTOS: House Representatives argue over gun control at committee hearing

US Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2022 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Jacob LaTurner, R-Kan., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, June 8, 2022 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 (AP)

US Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on June 8, 2022 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

[8 June 2022 22:15 · Gustaf Kilander]

‘We are bleeding out and you are not there’: Uvalde’s only pediatrician begs Congress to act