Gun protests sweep nation as House passes school safety bill

The House passed a school safety bill on Wednesday that does not contain any new gun measures as thousands of students walked out of classrooms across the country to protest gun violence and demand tougher gun laws.

The school safety legislation, which passed the House one month after the deadly mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., steers clear of the demands of gun control advocates.

The juxtaposition between the calls for action and the steps from Congress highlights the difficulty of enacting tougher gun restrictions in the face of opposition from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the group’s allies.

“Today, young people are taking a stand and calling on this Congress to do something about the scourge of gun violence. … This bill fails to do so,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), referring to the school safety measure. “It cannot be our only response to these demands.”

“You are faced with a simple choice, Mr. Speaker: Will you stand with these young people who are demanding action, or will you stand with the NRA?”

Students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have emerged as powerful voices in the politically charged gun debate, sparking a nationwide “Never Again” movement that appears to be having an effect on public opinion.

On Wednesday, hundreds of students from the D.C. area gathered for a rally on the lawn in front of the Capitol just before noon, where they were joined by dozens of Democratic lawmakers. The rally was part of a broader national protest in which students walked out of schools across the country to demand tougher gun laws and honor the 17 students and faculty members who were slain in the Parkland shooting.

The students gathered near the National Mall carried signs that read “No More,” “We call B.S.” and “Protect Kids.” Some spoke of classmates affected by gun violence and urged lawmakers to act.

As Democrats made their way to the podium, students roared at the sight of familiar faces like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).

The group cheered for calls for stricter gun laws and responded with particular fervor to any criticisms of the NRA.

“We are very proud of what you are doing,” Sanders said, speaking into a megaphone. “All across the country people are sick and tired of gun violence, and the time is now for all of us together to stand up to the NRA and to pass commonsense gun legislation.”

But as students rallied on the Capitol lawn, GOP leaders inside the building moved in a different direction.

Republicans have focused their response on enhancing school safety and investigating why law enforcement missed repeated warning signs about the Parkland suspect.

They have also touted a narrow background check bill that the House already passed in December, as well as a recently enacted law strengthening support for people with mental illness.

“We believe that the best focus can be on stopping people who should not get guns from getting any kind of gun, period,” Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Wednesday. “We sent legislation to the Senate in December. Hopefully, the Senate can act on that legislation. In the meantime, we believe that we can make great progress on the STOP School Violence Act, which we’re passing today.”

The House voted 407-10 to approve a school safety bill from Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.), a former sheriff.