Rep. Lauren Boebert Says U.S. Needs More Guns In House Speech: ‘Get Our Numbers Up!’

In a House floor speech on Wednesday condemning new firearm regulations imposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Rep Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) condemned the federal agency and urged Americans to buy more guns.

Although Americans only make up roughly 4.25 percent of the world population, Boebert complained that Americans own “only” 46 percent of the world’s firearms. In her speech, she urged listeners to get the “numbers up.”

Other highlights of her speech included her claim that gun-free zones were the “most dangerous” places in America, and her relentless bashing of the ATF.

“ATF Alcohol, tobacco, and firearms,” she said, “In western Colorado, we call that a fun weekend. But D.C. bureaucrats have used this agency to infringe on the rights of the American people.”

Prior to Boebert’s speech, the ATF announced its plan to require gun owners to register pistol braces, an accessory that can help shooters aim with one hand.

Boebert has a rating of A from the National Rifle Association (NRA), which rates members of Congress according to how often they vote for a pro-gun position. Much of Boebert’s two congressional campaigns were based on a pro-gun platform, and this single issue has defined much of her private life and political career.

From 2013 to 2022, Boebert owned a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado called “Shooters Grill.” The restaurant was gun-themed, and staff were encouraged to openly carry their guns. The restaurant closed in 2022 when her landlord decided not to renew her lease, although the owner stated that his decision was not political.

Boebert has a history of making other extreme statements about guns, such as her 2021 comment that rape victims need “a Glock 19” instead of access to an abortion.

In November, she narrowly won her reelection campaign by only 551 votes, an extremely tight victory by only 0.16 percentage points, against Democratic challenger Adam Frisch.