Emanuel Cleaver on Thursday introduced legislation that would make it illegal to pay congressional lawmakers after a mass shooting.
As part of the No Pay Until Peace Act, the proposal from the Missouri Democrat would designate that checks be retained for every member if four or more people are murdered in a single occurrence.
The legislation was put forward by the congressman in the wake of the shootings at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo and the Robb Elementary School in Uval.
Despite overwhelming support for gun safety reform from the public, I have watched this institution fail time and time again to take any serious, meaningful action to address the scourge of gun violence.
He said he was sick and tired of seeing kids murdered at school, Americans killed at the supermarket or in their place of worship, and Missourians killed on street corners because Congress refuses to do anything about gun violence. The time for thoughts and prayers has passed, and now is the time for action. If lawmakers aren't going to do their jobs to protect the American people, then they should not receive any compensation.
Cleaver lamented that Democrats have sought to pass additional gun control restrictions including universal background checks and red flag laws, which allow police to temporarily seize guns from individuals who are a threat to themselves or others, but have been stymied by Republican lawmakers.
Background checks for gun sales were passed by the House but not by the Senate, where Democrats don't have enough votes to overcome a GOP-led legislative filibuster.
The fact that the country has already experienced 213 mass shootings this year is a tragedy that demands immediate congressional action, and Cleaver put the onus on members of Congress.
While the loss of one month's paycheck doesn't even begin to compare to the loss of a child, every lawmaker should be held accountable for the unconscionable failure to do anything that will save lives.
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