Statement from the CHC Chair on the Expulsion of Two Black Members of the Tennessee House for Protesting Gun Violence

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Nanette Barragán issued the following statement after the Republican-controlled Tennessee House of Representatives expelled two Black members for protesting the lack of action on gun violence:

"What we saw happen this evening in the Tennessee House was appalling and a return to a dark era in the history of this country and the South.

The expulsion of two duly elected young Black men, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, from the Tennessee House was legislative racism and cowardice on full display for the entire country to see.

Republicans in the Tennessee House could have used the levers of the state assembly to protect children and other Tennesseans from further gun violence in their state. Instead, they decided to silence the voices of two young Black men who were advocating to protect their communities from the plague of too many guns that are too easy to access.

Tennessee House Republicans chose bigotry and the NRA over the lives of children and their citizens. They will be on the wrong side of history."

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