GOING TO VOTE ON MORE SWEEPING
GUN CONTROL MEASURES THIS COMING
WEEK.
JOINING ME NOW, CONGRESSMAN
STEVE SCALISE, MEMBER OF THE
HOUSE REPUBLICANS LEADERSHIP AND
A LAWMAKER WHO HAS FACED
HORRIFIC GUN VIOLENCE HIMSELF.
CONGRESSMAN, WELCOME BACK TO
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY," GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
>> Congressman Scalise: JOHN,
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, THANKS.
>> John: THE PRESIDENT HAD
THAT PRIME TIME ADDRESS LAST
WEEK AND HERE’S WHAT HE
ARTICULATED AS HIS VISION FOR
HOW WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THESE
MASS SHOOTINGS.
LISTEN HERE.
>> President Biden: WE NEED TO
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS AND
HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES.
AND IF WE CAN’T BAN ASSAULT
WEAPONS, THEN WE SHOULD RAISE
THE AGE TO PURCHASE THEM FROM 18
TO 21.
STRENGTHEN BACKGROUND CHECKS,
AND ACT SAFE STORAGE LAW AND
RED FLAG LAWS.
>> John: LET ME TAKE WITH THE
PRESIDENT SAID AND BREAK IT INTO
TWO MAIN PARTS.
FIRST OF ALL, AND ASSAULT
WEAPONS BAN.
WHEN YOU WERE AT THAT PRACTICE
FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL
GAME, YOU WERE SHOT BY A WEAPON,
A VERY POWERFUL WEAPON THAT
WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO
THE 1994 ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, IF
THE SHOOTINGS THAT WE SAW IN
UVALDE AND IN BUFFALO AND IN
TULSA, OKLAHOMA, WERE COMMITTED
BY WEAPONS THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT
TO THAT BAN.
SO IN TERMS OF THAT PARTICULAR
ISSUE, WHAT’S THE BEST WAY
FORWARD?
>> Congressman Scalise: JOHN,
THE BEST WAY FORWARD IS FIRST OF
ALL WHEN YOU HAVE A SHOOTING,
INSTEAD OF SITTING DOWN AND
GOING OKAY, WHAT IS REALLY
CAUSING THIS, WHY DO WE SEE
THESE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS, IT
IMMEDIATELY BECOMES A DEBATE
ABOUT TAKING AWAY GUNS AND YOU
SEE DEMOCRATS QUICKLY RUN IN THE
DAY OF THE SHOOTING, THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT PASSING HR EIGHT
IN THE SENATE.
GO LOOK AT HR EIGHT, IT WOULD
HAVE DONE NOTHING TO STOP THE
SHOOTING, AND BY THE WAY, THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF WENT EVEN
FURTHER AND STARTED TALKING BUT
GOING AFTER HANDGUNS IN THAT
SAME SPEECH.
SO IMMEDIATELY PUSHES EVERYBODY
IN A CORNER INSTEAD OF SITTING
DOWN AND SAYING WHY DON’T WE
LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME
TELLTALE SIGNS SO THAT THERE CAN
BE INTERVENTION.
SOME COMMUNITIES ACTUALLY DO
THIS.
THIS JUST HAPPENED A FEW DAYS
AGO IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.
THERE WAS A STUDENT THAT WAS
TRYING TO NOT JUST SHOOT, BUT
BLOW UP HIS HIGH SCHOOL.
AND OTHER STUDENTS FOUND OUT
ABOUT IT, THEY ALERTED
AUTHORITIES AND AUTHORITIES WERE
ABLE TO MOVE AND STOP IT BEFORE
ANYTHING HAPPENED.
WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED MORE ON
STOPPING THINGS BEFORE THEY
HAPPEN.
THIS ISN’T SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT
RIGHT NOW, AND IT SHOULD BE.
IT IMMEDIATELY BECOMES ABOUT
DEMOCRATS WANTING TO TAKE AWAY
GUNS.
GO LOOK AT THE HEARING THAT THEY
HAD LAST WEEK IN CONGRESS.
I MEAN, YOU HAD MEMBERS,
DEMOCRATS, CURSING OUT THE
SECOND MOMENT, MEMBERS SAYING IF
WE CAN’T GET THIS, WE’RE GOING
TO BLOW UP THE FILIBUSTER AND
PACK THE SUPREME COURT TO GET
AROUND THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS NOT SOME
GUIDELINE, IT’S PART OF THE
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND
THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND IT’S
THERE FOR A REASON, BY THE WAY,
EVERY DAY IN AMERICA PEOPLE USE
GUNS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF
THAT TOO, SO INSTEAD OF TALK
ABOUT DEMOCRATS ALWAYS WANTED TO
TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF GUN
OWNERS, LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS
ESPECIALLY, WHY DON’T WE TALK
ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSES OF THESE
PROBLEMS, AND THERE IS SOME
COMMON GROUND TO BE FOUND THERE,
JOHN.
IF THAT’S NOT WHERE THE
CONVERSATION IS TODAY
UNFORTUNATELY AND FRANKLY I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GOING THAT
DIRECTION.
>> John: THERE MAY BE COMMON
GROUND BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT
SEEMS NOBODY WANTS TO FIND IT.
LET ME TAKE THE SECOND BIG CHUNK
OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID, THE
IDEA OF RAISING THE AGE TO BUY
ONE OF THESE LONG RIFLES.
THE MAN WHO SHOT YOU WAS 66
YEARS OLD, BETWEEN 1949 AND
2018, ON THE TWO OF THE 30 WORST
MASS SHOOTINGS WERE CARRIED OUT
BY PEOPLE YOUNGER THAN 21.
HOWEVER, SINCE 2018, SIX OF THE
NINE DEADLIEST SHOOTINGS WERE
COMMITTED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE 21
OR YOUNGER.
IN LIGHT OF THOSE STATISTICS,
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GO ON
WHETHER OR NOT TO RAISE THE AGE?
>> Congressman Scalise: FIRST
OF ALL, YOU GOT TO LOOK IN
CALIFORNIA, THEY HAD A BILL TO
RAISE THE AGE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND A FEDERAL COURT
RULED IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
SO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GO DOWN
ON CONSTITUTIONAL ROUTES, WHY
DON’T WE LOOK AT WHY MORE YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS?
BY THE WAY, A LOT OF THESE
SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, THERE IS
SOMEBODY IN THAT SCHOOL THAT
KNEW THE SHOOTER WAS GOING TO
TAKE ACTION BEFORE THE SHOOTING,
AND WE DID THIS AFTER
SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE GOT REALLY
GOOD ABOUT FOCUSING ON STOPPING
SOMETHING BEFORE IT HAPPENS, IF
YOU’RE IN AN AIRPORT TODAY AND
YOU SEE A BAG SITTING IDLE, IF
NOT GOING TO BE THERE 5 MINUTES
BEFORE SOMEBODY ALERTS
AUTHORITIES.
WE NEED TO BE HELPING GET KIDS
MORE ENGAGED IN ALERTING
AUTHORITIES IF THEY SEE
SOMETHING THEY’RE CONCERNED
ABOUT AND THAT THE AUTHORITIES
TAKE ACTION IF IT’S NECESSARY
AND TRY TO INTERVENE AND STOP
SOMETHING BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
INSTEAD OF JUST IMMEDIATELY
RUSHING TO GO TAKE THE RIGHTS OF
GUN OWNERS AWAY.
I MEAN, LOOK, JUST A FEW DAYS
AGO IN WEST VIRGINIA, THERE WAS
SOMEBODY -- IT WASN’T OUT OF
SCHOOL -- THERE WAS SOMEBODY
WITH A RIFLE ILLEGALLY -- HE WAS
A FELON, SHOULDN’T HAVE EVEN HAD
IT AND HE TRIED TO GO SHOOT UP A
BUNCH OF KIDS AT A BIRTHDAY
PARTY AND A GRADUATION AND IT
WAS A WOMAN WITH A CONCEALED
CARRY PERMIT HANDGUN WHO TOOK
DOWN THE SHOOTER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMOCRAT
COLLEAGUES OF MINE WHO WANT TO
TAKE AWAY CONCEALED CARRY
PERMITS AND AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF WAS TALKING ABOUT GOING
AFTER HANDGUNS.
THERE’S A CASE WHERE A HANDGUN
WAS USED TO TAKE DOWN THE
SHOOTER.
IN MY CASE IT WAS A COP WITH A
HANDGUN THAT TOOK DOWN THE
SHOOTER AND SO IT’S OFFER OUR
PRAYERS TO THE VICTIMS.
UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN MOMENTS OF
SILENCE RIGHT NOW, YOU GOT
DEMOCRATS SOMETIMES YELLING
DURING A MOMENT OF SILENCE
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE
VICTIMS AND THEN LET’S GO SEARCH
FOR THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, HOW
CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB OF
CONNECTING THE DOTS AND STOPPING
SOMETHING BEFORE IT HAPPENS BUT
WE DID AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH,
WHICH HAS WORKED REALLY WELL AS
IT RELATES TO STOPPING TERRORIST
ATTACKS.
LET’S PUT THAT KIND OF FOCUS ON
SCHOOLS AND YOUNG KIDS NOT JUST
ITS GOALS, LET’S ALSO, BY THE
WAY, LOOK AT HARDENING SCHOOLS.
THERE IS A LOT OF COMMON GROUND
THERE TOO.
MY COLLEAGUE RICHARD HUDSON WAS
WORKING ON A PACKAGE, OTHERS
HAVE TOO TO HELP HARDEN SCHOOLS
AND PROVIDE ABILITY FOR THE
SCHOOLS TO HELP KIDS IDENTIFY A
PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAN HAPPEN,
GET THAT TO AUTHORITIES IF YOU
SEE A KID ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING
BAD BEFORE THEY DO IT.
>> John: CONGRESSMAN, IT’S --
I MEAN, IT’S A GREAT THOUGHT TO
THINK THAT WE CAN PREVENT ALL OF
THESE THINGS, BUT AS PEOPLE SET
AFTER 9/11, WHEN WE ARE TRYING
TO PREVENT A TERRORIST ATTACK,
WE GOT TO BE RIGHT EVERY TIME
AND THEY ONLY NEED TO BE RIGHT
ONCE, AND WE STILL SEE PEOPLE
GETTING THROUGH THE SYSTEM,
PEOPLE FALLING THROUGH THE
CRACKS.
LET ME MOVE AHEAD TO WHAT’S
GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY,
BECAUSE IN TERMS OF THE
DEVELOPED WORLD, THE
UNITED STATES FAR AND AWAY LEADS
EVERY OTHER NATION IN THE
DEVELOPED WORLD IN TERMS OF
GUN VIOLENCE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GRAPH.
THE U.S. WAY OUT IN FRONT WITH
FOUR DEATHS PER 100,000 PEOPLE.
THE NEXT CLOSEST NATION IS
CYPRUS, WAY BEHIND AT JUST BELOW
.7 DEATHS PER 100 PEOPLE.
WHAT YOU THINK IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THAT DISCREPANCY?
>> Congressman Scalise: AND A
LOT OF THOSE COUNTRIES -- FIRST
OF ALL, YOU LOOK AT AMERICA, IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS YOU’VE
SEEN THIS CRAZY DEFUND THE
POLICE MOVEMENT, BUT YOU’VE ALSO
SEEN A MOVEMENT THAT’S BEEN
GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS IN BIG
CITIES WHERE THE D.A. HAS
ALREADY BEEN PROSECUTING
CRIMINALS UNTIL IT IS SHOOTING
OR A VIOLENT CRIME, AND THEY’RE
LETTING CRIMINALS BACK OUT ON
THE STREETS AND THEN INEVITABLY
WHAT YOU SEE IS HIGHER RATES OF
CRIME, AND WHAT YOU ARE ALSO
SEEING IS MORE AND MORE AMERICAN
CITIZENS, LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS
ARE BUYING GUNS TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
IT’S HAPPENING IN EVERY
DEMOGRAPHIC YOU CAN IMAGINE
WHERE YOU HAVE LARGE INCREASES
OF PEOPLE BUYING GUNS BECAUSE IF
THEY CAN’T HAVE FAITH THAT THEIR
LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT’S
BEEN DEFUNDED CAN ARRIVE QUICKLY
OR IF THE D.A. IS GOING TO LET
THE CRIMINAL OUT, THEIR ONLY
LINE OF DEFENSE, SO PEOPLE ARE
BUYING GUNS MORE TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES AGAINST CRIME A CRIME
IS OUT OF CONTROL AND A LOT OF
BIG CITIES, BUT BY THE WAY, IF
YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN
THOSE CITIES, YOU SEE A LOT OF
THINGS WITH THE DEFUND THE
POLICE MOVEMENT, WITH LETTING
PEOPLE OUT, NO CASH BAIL COME
OVER THERE MAKING IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE TO COMMIT CRIMES.
LOOK AT THE SMASH-AND-GRAB
CRIMES.
TO THINK IT’S GOING TO END THERE
IF THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY
WITH A CRIME, THEY’RE NOT GOING
TO BE CHARGED, THEY WILL GOING
TO COMMIT MORE CRIMES AND WORSE
CRIMES, IT HAPPENED IN OTHER
PLACES, LET’S GET BACK TO
REGULAR POLICING.
>> John: LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT
WHERE THE PUBLIC IS ON SOME OF
THESE POLICIES REGARDING GUN
SALES.
DO YOU SUPPORT OR OPPOSE
REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR
ALL GUN BUYERS?
89% OF AMERICANS SAY THEY
SUPPORT, DO YOU SUPPORT OR
OPPOSE RED FLAG LAWS?
74%, 21 OPPOSED.
YOU AND OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE
USED ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS AND
RED FLAG LAWS THAT SEEM TO RUN
COUNTER TO WHAT PUBLIC SENTIMENT
IS.
SO ARE THE VIEWS THAT YOU AND
YOUR COLLEAGUES HOLD OUT OF STEP
WITH WHERE THE NATION’S?
>> Congressman Scalise: I CAN
ASSURE YOU THAT THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC WASN’T ASKED IN THAT POLL
ABOUT COMPONENTS OF THE BILLS
DEMOCRATS ARE MOVING THROUGH
CONGRESS TO DO THOSE THINGS, SO
UNDER THE GUISE OF RED FLAG,
THEY TAKE AWAY DUE PROCESS WHERE
THEY LITERALLY CAN COME INTO
YOUR HOUSE AND TAKE AWAY YOUR
GUN WITHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWING
THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF
PROCEEDING WHERE SOMEBODY SAID
OH, I THINK THAT GUY MIGHT BE A
THREAT SO NOW SOMEBODY CAN GO
AND TAKE AWAY YOUR
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
I DON’T THINK PEOPLE WOULD AGREE
WITH THAT, THAT’S NOT HOW WE
DEAL WITH RIGHTS IN AMERICA.
>> John: CONGRESSMAN, IF THAT
HAD HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF THE
BUFFALO SHOOTER, TEN PEOPLE
WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY.
>> Congressman Scalise: AGAIN,
DUE PROCESS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHT.
IF YOU PASS A BILL THAT’S
UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND THINK IT’S
GOING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, AGAIN,
I POINT TO CALIFORNIA.
MAYBE SOMEDAY THOUGHT TAKING
AWAY A GUN FROM A 19-YEAR-OLD IS
GOING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM.
IT HAPPENS TO BE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, SO YOU DO HAVE
TO FOLLOW THE LAWS AND THE
CONSTITUTION AND AGAIN, FOCUS ON
THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
WE ARE NOT FOCUSING ON THE ROOT
CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
THE IMMEDIATE VISCERAL REACTION
OF DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON IS TO
GO AFTER THE RIGHTS OF GUN
OWNERS IN AMERICA, THE
LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS WERE USING
GUNS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.
AGAIN I POINT TO WEST VIRGINIA
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
THAT SHOOTER BROKE EVERY LAW IN
THE BOOKS, THERE’S HUNDREDS OF
GUN LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS
THAT AREN’T EVEN BEING ENFORCED
BY THIS ADMINISTRATION IN SOME
CASES AND SO THIS GUY HAS GOT A
GUN, HE’S GOING UP TO SHOOT A
BUNCH OF PEOPLE, HE DOESN’T EVEN
UNDER CURRENT LAW HAVE THE RIGHT
TO HAVE A GUN THAT HE’S GOT.
THANK GOD THERE WAS A WOMAN WITH
A GUN AND A CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY
PERMIT WHERE SHE KNEW HOW TO USE
THE GUN AND SHE TOOK THE SHOOTER
DOWN.
IF WE TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF
THOSE PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES
FROM THE PEOPLE THAT DON’T CARE
WITH THE LAWS ARE.
THEY ARE GOING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO.
IN BERKELEY, THEY WERE USING
BOMBS TO TRY TO BLOW UP THE
SCHOOL, SO WHEN WE FOCUS ON THE
ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TAKE AWAY
THE GUNS FROM LAW-ABIDING
CITIZENS WHO HAVE A
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO CARRY
IT?
>> John: WE WILL BE WATCHING
CLOSELY THE ACTION IN CONGRESS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF