NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — President Biden is meeting with the Tennessee Three on Monday at the White House. They’ll continue the conversation about gun control in the state.
Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson are looking for more mental health and gun prevention resources to be added in the state after standing up in support of gun reform following the deadly shooting at The Covenant School.
Jones has said he’ll be asking for the President to declare a public health emergency when it comes to violence.
The three held a protest on the house floor after protestors in the lobby and outside of the capitol demanded stricter gun laws. Jones and Pearson were expelled, while Johnson barely held on to her seat by just one vote.
The two were then reinstated, but only on an interim basis. A special election will eventually be held to determine if they’ll be fully re-elected back into office.
This meeting comes after the President met with the three earlier this month on a video call to talk about their actions. He thanked them for speaking out and standing their ground and being very clear about what's needed to protect their communities.
“I think that we need emergency response cause we’re facing a crisis situation. In states like ours, we need help from our national leaders, because we’re in a state where the only action that our colleagues took in response to the mass shooting in Nashville was to expel the two youngest black lawmakers and then to pass a law to protect gun manufacturers. That’s all they passed this session," said Jones.
The President has said there’s nothing more he can do, but that it’s time for Congress to act.
