this day is a sad event because it indicates no real action will be taken in that regard. ultimately the american people will have to ask themselves if this is the kind of leadership they want to see in the united states senate. >> well, this is the first time i have ever attended a nonmarkup markup but that is essentially what we had today. a lot of speeches by members on both sides of the aisle but there wasn't anything that happened today that creates a single job for an american and does anything to reduce the debt that our country is piling on the backs of our children and grandchildren. it is unfortunate. it is a failure of leadership at the highest level among the democrats and the united states senate and the president as was mentioned earlier as senator johnson has to own his part of the responsibility for this

because the budget he submitted this year and last year didn't address any of the major challenges faced in the country when it comes to debt and spending. and as was evidences in the vote last week. so it's clear that that the democratic leadership here in the senate and president don't want to have a debate about the future of the country with regard to tax reform, spending and debt. it's unfortunate that that is where we are. republicans will do best that we can to get votes in the senate this year on budgetary ideas that we will put forward but it is clear that the democrat majority has no interest in moving a budget. >> i would like to reiterate the american people deserve a choice. the democrats continue to claim that the budgett control act is a budget. it is not. it is only half the equation. and the fact of the matter is the president is providing

absolutely no leadership on this issue. and the other fact of the mattersis the democrats have the votes. they have the votes in the committee to pass the budget and the votes in the senate to pass a budget. they should show the american people what their plan is so the american people actually have a legitima legitimatet choice. they can choose between two different paths that the republicans will take this country and the democrats. it's a very stark choice. the democrats need to take votes and pass something. thank you. >> it's amazing that with trillion dollar deficits and a record debt there is no budget in the united states congress because the democrats in the senate refuse to move forward. during the last three years the united states has incurred $4 trillion in additional debt. that's $33 thousand perhouse

hold in america. they still aren't willing to move forward. including getting the deficit and debt under control but also growing the economy. it should be part of the budget that the united states congress passes. >> do you see any sort of opening for breakthrough where you guys end up voting on a budget this year? >> i think it's absolutely crystal clear that the majority leader has decided not to allow a budget to be brought up so it can be mondayamended to the nor process and avoid bringing it up as we did last year for a single vote. that's the policy. i don't expect that to change. >> is this committee sort of dooming itself? you are either not passing a budget or having a markup where you don't mark up a vote on anything. what is the point of having a

budget committee? >> that raises serious questions. i think that that chairman conrad understands that. i think that's the reason he fundamentally broke ranks and tried to move forward with a budget today because he felt the budget committee, if it fails for three consecutive years or two years now without even a markup in the committee it would raise questions about the entire viability of the budget committee. i think that's important. >> thanks. >> thank you. >> republicans on the senate budget committee objecting to how chairman conrad is dealing with the budget plan who says he is not planning votes on amendments or final passage of the plan. we spoke with a reporter for more details. >> joining us is erik wasson.

what caused him to change his plan? >> well, he had sought to get the consensus of all his democratic members on the partisan plan but was unable to do so and then decided to put forth the bowles-simpson person that he is going with. there is not going to be any votes on the plan that it's just beepg presented for discussion and there could be votes after the election. >> republicans have said again and again that the senate hasn't produced a budget in three years. doesn't this give them added ammunition? >> you have seen representative paul ryan today, the house budget chairman who doesn't resort to more personal attacks

on conrad actually came out and said conrad is causing an embarrassing spectacle. i think republicans are jumping on this as evidence of irresponsibility whereas conrad thinks because of the partisan nature of the debate he -- resting up after the -- >> he has been a proponent since the recommendations. >> he likes -- support when it was presented. >> he is hopeful that it can provide a building block to get some sort of grand bargain between republicans and democrats at some point.

revenue increases from tax reform and spending cuts compared to current policy. >> how does senator conrad think that the november elections will -- >> facing a massive event. the bush year tax cuts are going to expire. the $1.2 trillion sequester of discretionary spending. there are a bunch of events that doesn't really act or move until the deadline moves. he is hopeful that the deadline will trigger legislation. the changes would have to be so massive that there would need to be drafting of bills three or four months in advance. >> erik wasson reports at the

hill. thanks for the update. >> thank you. this week marked the five-year anniversary of the virginia tech shooting. at a briefing on capitol hill victims, the families of those killed and others effected by gun violence called on congress to enact legislation. this is just over 90 minutes. >> good afternoon. i'm dan gross and i'm not just president of the brady campaign but today my brother matthew gross and i are proud to be part of the 32. we want to welcome all of you here today. it's a beautiful day. it's an exciting day but it's a somber day.

five years ago today 32 people were killed at virginia tech in the worst mass shooting in u.s. history. but this is not just a somber day because of the tragic anniversary that it represents. it's a somber day because today 32 more will be murdered by guns in our nation. yes, another virginia tech will happen today like it happens every day. and that's why we're here to say enough is enough and to hold the people who do their work in that building behind us accountable to put an end to this madness. we are here with the 32 victims and survivors from across our nation to represent the 32 that were lost five years ago at virginia tech and to represent the 32 that are murdered by guns in our nation every day. wayne at the nra convention and his feeble attempt to deflect the well deserved blame for

putting the gun in george zimmerman's hands had the gall to complain about the media attention on the trayvon martin tragedy. he asked what about the tragedies that happen every day in our nation? well, wayne, here they are. 32 of them and they blame you and the politicians who do your bidding every bit as much as the media does. the fact is not just the trayvon martin tragedy but most of the gun violence in our nation could be prevented if congress would take simple action to stop arming dangerous people. right now the sobering reality is that too many of the people elected to represent all of you, all of us are putting the agenda of the gun lobby ahead of the lives of the people they have been elected to represent. as a result they are putting the guns in the hands of people like george zimmerman, a man with an

arrest record and a history of violence and people like the perpetrators of the 32 tragedies you will hear about today. arming dangerous people just to support a lobby that sells guns. it is shameful and imoral and almost criminal. that's why we are here in d.c. this week to demand congress make it clear whose vision their support, the nra's dark parnoid vision of guns or our vision of an america where tragedy like ours no longer happen. specifically, we are here to demand two things from congress. number one, to tell the senate to reject what we call the george zimmerman armed vigilante act. this lethal bill introduced only dayed after the trayvon martin tragedy pretty much sums up the gun lobby's dark vision forcing virtually every state to honor

the concealed carry for other states. if your state has sensible gun laws that might prevent someone like george zimmerman from carrying a hidden gun on your streets, tough luck. a george zimmerman can carry a gun on your streets and there is nothing you or your local law enforcement can do about it. the second thing we are here to do today is to introduce and demand every person in congress sign this statement of principle against arming dangerous people. here is what it says plain and simple. i believe these people should not be able to buy, own or carry a gun in our nation, convicted felons, convicted domestic abusers, terrorists and people found to be dangerously mentally ill. either you are against putting the guns in the hands of these people, people directly responsible for thousands of gun

deaths in our nation every year or you are in favor of arming them, plain and simple. any congress person who does not sign this statement can only be considered to be in favor of arming dangerous people or putting some other agenda ahead of the lives of the people they represent. the gun lobby would like you to think that this is a complicated issue. either you subscribe to the dark vision of selling more guns with no concern who you sell them to or you subscribe to a vision of an america free from gun tragedies like ours. the 32 here today to represent not only ourselves and our loved ones but every american that has had enough of gun violence in our nation, to demand a nation free from the rein of terror that the gun lobby holds over capitol hill, to demand a nation free from gun violence. and now it is my pleasure to introduce a man who has been a

great leader and supporter of sensible gun laws and has put the agenda of the people he represents ahead of the agenda of the gun lobby. jim moran from the eighth district of virginia. >> thank you. i want to thank all of you for joining us to mark this solemn occasion. the fifth anniversary of the horrific violence that occurred on the campus of virginia tech taking the lives of 32 holy innocent people and wounding another 17. it's an honor to share this remembrance with the brady campaign and with victims like colin goddard and his family and others you will hear from. because they have taken this tragedy in their lives and

responded by fighting for responsible gun laws. doing so we try to show respect towards those whose lives were lost that day and this may give their memories enduring purpose. but we are gathered on the anniversary, the fifth anniversary of the virginia tech shooting. the fact is we could be observing a remembererance and anniversary nearly every day of every year of victims of gun violence. in fact, since that day in 2007, 12 more mass shootings of a similar nature have occurred claiming the lives of 92 people. it didn't stop. it continues and it will continue unless we have sensible

responsible legislation. just weeks ago a gunman opened fire at a small religious yuvtd neyuvtd -- university near oakland, california. americans need to ask where is the outrage. each year nearly 100,000 people are shot with a firearm. 20 thousand of whom are children. more than 30,000 die each year in gun-related incidents. it should be shocking to all americans that the gun homicide rate in the united states is 20 times higher than it is in all other comparable supposedly civilized industrialized countries. so you have to ask why are gun crimes in the united states so much more prevalent than in the

rest of the world? and, of course, a good place to start is the fact that we have nearly as many guns in the united states for every man, woman and child who lives here. guns permeate our culture. despite the overwhelming number of guns in the united states and a correspondingly large number of gun-related deaths the national rifle association and other gun groups believe the answer to that gun violence that those guns generate is even more guns. they want to expand and have been successful in this congress and expanding concealed carry laws. and, in fact, protections for those that use their guns irresponsibly. here in congress and in far too many state houses across the country their side is, in fact,

winning. loosening already porus gun laws and blocking the passage of any sensible gun control measures. i understand that as many as 30 states now have vigilante laws comparable to florida's thanks to the national rifle association and the american legislative exchange council which has worked hand in hand with them in trying to get this legislation through even though it didn't come through any grass roots effort on the part of citizens. it came from the top. it came from the nra working with the legislators with threats of political repercussions if they don't comply and rewards when they do and they have been. there are too many elected

officials who are aware of damage that gun violence does to our society, who understands this is afront to our most basic values, the right to life. the right to the liberty to be able to walk safely on your streets, the right to happiness that has been destroyed by the senseless wanton violence, the happiness of the thousands of loved ones who have lost people in their lives in ways that virtually nothing could have been done to stop it. the sadness that throughout our society for these inexplicable losses. now, some believe that any

strengthening of gun laws is an afront to the second amendment. others are too afraid of political consequences to do what they know is the right thing. but either way it is a failure of leadership. but that's the role of the brady campaign and each of you here today to make your voices heard on this issue and to let the members of congress know what every poll has demonstrated over the last several years, the american public supports common sense laws that protect communities from gun violence. so as we pay tribute to the memories of those precious lives lost five years ago at virginia tech let us commit ourselves today to doing all that we can to enact sensible laws that could prevent this tragedy from

recurring time and again. we owe that. we at least owe that to the lost lives that give us occasion to be here today. thank you all. >> thank you congressman moran. the congressman talked about how it's the role of brady and the folks here to start holding our congress accountable. i would build on that by saying it is the role of the american public to start doing that and not just based on the magnitude of this problem which you're right, congressman, should be shocking to everybody but because of the shockingly simple solutions that exists. we are here to ask on behalf of the american public very simple questions like senator vitter do you think or do you not think

that george zimmerman, a man with an arrest record and a history of violence should be permitted to carry a loaded hidden gun on the streets of any state in this country? we are here to ask questions like representative canter do you think that a convicted felon should be able to walk into any place in our country and buy a gun without any background check? these are the simple questions and these are the simple questions around which our leaders are failing us and we're going to put a laser focus on this and start to hold the people that have been elected to represent us accountable for the decisions that they are making, the decisions that have resulted in many of the tragedies that you are going to hear about today and the decisions that cost thousands of lives every year. now it is my honor to introduce colin goddard who was there at virginia tech that day five years ago and will share his story with you. good morning.

i like to begin by saying that i incident first year of my life in somalia. my family moved to bangladesh. and then my family moved to indonesia before the events began to erupt. and then my family moved to cairo egypt during the attack on 9/11 and all the while my extended family living here in the states was petrified for my safety, couldn't wait for me to come back to america where it was safe to live. so finally, once i enroll at university at virginia tech in a small southwest virginia town i get put in the most dangerous situation of my entire life here in america. it was that day that started me on this path but it was seeing what happened to me happen to other families that ultimately brought me here today which is

why i wanted to invite a symbolic group of 32 for the 32 people killed at virginia tech five years ago today and for the 32 americans we lose every single day. some people here were associated with shootings that you have heard about that were on the front page of the newspaper. and others were shootings that you haven't heard about. so we wanted to take this day that everybody acknowledges as the worse mass shooting in our country's history and to acknowledge the greater tragedy that happens every single day that goes unnoticed.up here bec of what i heard said from elected leaders after the virginia tech shooting, after the shooting in tucson, after the shootings that happen every single day that now is not the time to talk about gun violence. now is not the time. it's not appropriate to talk about solutions.

so my question to speaker john boehner, my question to majority leader and to every single member who works up here, if today the fifth anniversary of the worst shooting in our country's history is not the time or tomorrow when 32 more americans killed from gun fire is not the time, which day is the time? which day would it be appropriate for you to talk about this issue and talk about what we can do? it is beyond time for us which is why we are here to make you talk about this, to bring this in front of you and demand that you support some common sense solutions that the vast majority of your people support. so i'm honored to be here with the 32 families. and at this point i would like to turn it over to them.

thank you very much. >> now yb want to introduce my brother, matthew, who is going to say a couple of words about his tragedy. >> hello. i was shot at the empire state building from a guy who got the gun in florida and he was from another country and he gave the address to his hotel. he shot me in my head. as you can see i didn't die but he killed my guitarist. what can i say? i would like to challenge everybody to stand up to congress and outlaw guns just what it says there. thanks. >> now we're going to hear from the rest of the 32 one by one in alphabetical order. genie bishop. >> this is my younger sister nancy bishop and her husband,

richard. nancy was 25 years old and three months pregnant when an intruder broke into their home and shot them to death completely senseless. she was three months pregnant with what would have been my first niece or nephew. he had been diagnosed a sociopath when trying to kill his own family. i am here to ask congress to be sure that guns do not get into the hands of dangerous people like the one who killed my family members. thank you. >> pamela bos wlae. >> i'm here to introduce you to my son murdered in chicago. this is my son. my son who was 18 was murdered on april 4th, 2006. he helped his friend bring drums in a church. he was on safe grounds and someone took his life. he was an awesome son who loved

his family. he was a gospel bass player. one of his dreams was to be famous and travel around the world. this was ended when somebody was shooting and had a .45 illegal caliber gun and shot my gun. his death devastated my family and my youngest son prays every day that nobody gets shot. there is not a day that goes by that i do not miss and think about my son. the terrible pain remains the same. no mother should ever have to bury their son. i am demanding congress to get the guns out of the hands of the people who should not have them and bring justice to my son, terrell. sherr ln birdsong. >> this is my husband, rickey

birdsong who for 19 years was a division one basketball coach. his last place of coaches was at northwestern university. we met when we were 16 years old and for 27 years we experienced the american dream. then on july 2nd, 1999 our american dream became the american nightmare. rickey was gunned down in cold blood while he was jogging with our two youngest children ages eight and ten in our quiet neighborhood in illinois outside of chicago. i lost my husband and best friend, my three children lost a great father. rickey had been head basketball coach at northwestern and he had written a book about coaching your kids to be winners in the game of life. after coaching he committed his life to developing