Pa. GOP lawmakers block weapons ban
Barely 24 hours after the Texas school shooting, Pennsylvania’s Republican lawmakers made it clear where they stand about doing anything to reduce further bloodshed.
They don’t have the spine to do a damn thing.
Oh, they talked a good game. The state House opened Wednesday’s session with a moment of silence for the victims.
But a few hours later, when asked to vote on legislation that could save lives — by banning future sales of assault weapons like the one that was used to take 21 lives at Robb Elementary — legislators showed their true colors.
Largely along party lines, they refused to vote on the legislation. In doing so, they endorsed the availability of the weapons.
At least Pennsylvania voters know where their legislators stand going into the November election. If you expect more than a moment of silence in response to mass shootings, you should consider how your representative voted Wednesday when you go to the polls.
The vote against holding a vote on the legislation was 111-87.
All of the Republicans present were against voting, with the exception of Rep. Todd Stephens of Montgomery County. He’s been a refreshing voice of common sense in the state GOP when it comes to gun violence, previously supporting red-flag laws.
All of the Democrats present Wednesday were in favor of voting on the legislation, with the exception of Rep. Chris Sainato of Lawrence County.
Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, deserves a medal for forcing the issue to be considered.
She requested the House take the unusual step of voting on House Bill 770 despite it not having been voted out of committee.
Otten argued that an immediate vote was warranted “because we have the power and the moral obligation to act, today, before this happens one more time.”
Her next argument was particularly powerful.
“In shootings like the one [Tuesday] in Uvalde, Texas, they are not just picking up little bodies and laying them in angelic, satin-lined coffins for peaceful rest. They are scraping up the bodies of children, elementary school children, who need to be identified by their clothing or their dental records or their DNA off of blood-covered floors because their bodies and faces have been rendered unrecognizable by an assault weapon in the hands of an 18-year-old,” Otten said.
Banning future sales of assault weapons, she argued, could reduce the carnage during future rampages by reducing the firepower that victims face.
“These weapons are designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly and violently as possible,” Otten said.
No single legislative action will end gun violence, she noted. But every action that can be taken should be, she said.
Amen.
House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia urged members to skip the normal legislative process and vote on the bill. She described it as a “common sense” way to protect people.
Earlier in Wednesday’s session, McClinton called on lawmakers to act.
“What is our obligation? What is our responsibility? .... Are we complicit in these mass shootings, or are we doing everything within our power to put our heads together, our hearts together, and work to see these things never happen again?”
House Republican Leader Kerry Benninghoff urged lawmakers to reject the request to vote on the bill. He said it’s important for legislation of such a great magnitude to be vetted by the Judiciary Committee first.
But that’s never going to happen.
House Bill 770 was introduced in March 2021 by former Democratic Rep. Ed Gainey, who now is mayor of Pittsburgh. The bill has been in that committee ever since. It’s been buried. The committee chairman, Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin, previously expressed his disdain for gun legislation.
At the end of the year, the legislation will expire if not acted on.
So Otten had no choice but to try to go around the roadblock.
Benninghoff said the GOP caucus is empathetic to the victims of gun violence. He asked representatives to keep the families of the Texas shooting in their prayers.
“No loss of life is not harmful and painful for all of us regardless of how that happens and we are tremendously respectful of that,” said Benninghoff, of Centre County.
How about demonstrating that respect by taking some action?
Earlier in Wednesday’s session, Benninghoff noted the Legislature has provided schools with security grants, and will continue to do so.
“I wish there was a simple solution to this,” he said.
There is no simple solution. But failing to try anything isn’t the answer, either. Nor are prayers. Enough with the prayers.
We deserve action, and it’s time we start demanding it. The cowardice has to stop.