The Congressional Black Caucus's Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) warned Republicans that if they don't consent to new gun control legislation, the violence witnessed Thursday night in Dallas will just be the start.
"If we fail to act, this will be a long hot summer," Butterfield told reporters at a press conference Friday morning.
The press conference, scheduled initially to discuss the police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota, ended up focusing mostly on the killing of five police officers at a BlackLivesMatter protest Thursday night in Dallas.
Butterfield said Republicans are to blame not only for minorities being killed with guns, but also police.
"Congress -- when I say Congress, I mean the Republicans in Congress -- are refusing to address gun violence in America that targets black men and black women and Hispanic men and Hispanic women and, yes, even police officers," Butterfield said.
"Republicans, what on Earth — why are you recoiling and not giving us a debate on gun violence?" he asked. "Why not give it a hearing? Give us a debate. Give us an up or down vote on legislation on gun violence. Why?"