{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-town-hall-targets-gun-violence-public-health-emergency", "Clay Town Hall Targets Gun Violence as a Public Health Emergency", "2019-09-03", "2019", "2019-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clay Town Hall Targets Gun Violence as a Public Health Emergency\n\nOver 1000 St. Louisans Demand Leader Mitch McConnell schedule a U.S. Senate vote on Enhanced Background Checks as Community Strongly Supports H.R. 3435 to give local governments the freedom to protect residents, neighborhoods and first responders against gun violence.\n\nST. LOUIS, MO  An overflow crowd of more than 1000 St. Louisans packed a Town Hall Meeting on Gun Violence hosted by Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri and the St. Louis Aldermanic Black Caucus at historic Harris-Stowe State University in midtown St. Louis. The remarkable program featured moving presentations by Congressman Clay; St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson; St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed; St. Louis Public Safety Director Judge Jimmy Edwards; St. Louis Aldermanic Black Caucus Chairman Jeffrey Boyd; Christine Aleci of Moms Demand Action Against Gun Violence and Dr. Mark Hoofnagle, a trauma surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine.\n\nTown Hall Meeting attendees also signed personal letters to Senator Roy Blunt (R) Missouri and Senator Josh Hawley (R) Missouri urging them to contact Leader McConnell to demand that he call the U.S. Senate back into session to vote on two Enhanced Background Checks bills, supported by Congressman Clay, and passed by the U.S. House this past February.\n\nIn his remarks to the town hall meeting, Congressman Clay said, in-part:\n\nWe're here tonight because our nation, and this community, have reached a tipping pointWe are in the midst of an epidemic of gun violence that is inflicting devastating carnage on our community; because of the culture of easy access to guns, and the failure of some elected officials to stand up to the gun lobby.\n\nAcross our region, since June17 young people have been shot to death, and that body count continues to rise each week.Most recently, three more young people were slain over this past weekend.\n\nIt's time to break the grip of the NRA on Congress and our state legislature by adding your voice to the fight.\n\nI'm tired of the violence. I'm tired of the excuses.\n\n\t\n\tAnd I'm tired of some of my congressional colleagues and our state legislature being either unable, or just too frightened, to do something about gun violence - because they're being held hostage by the NRA. \n\n\nH.R. 3435 is supported by:\n\nMoms Demand Action Against Gun Violence\n\nGiffords Courage\n\nEverytown for Gun Safety\n\nCampaign for Gun Safety\n\nBrady\n\nMarch for Our Lives\n\nTo learn more about this important new legislation,\nH.R.3435 - Local Public Health And Safety Protection Act, please go to:\n\nhttps://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3435?s=1&r=5", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-town-hall-targets-gun-violence-public-health-emergency"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5157070010900497, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}