--- title: Aguilar: Suspects on No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns description: The only action Congress has taken this year in response to gun violence has been holding moments of silence—that's not enough canonical: https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/ author: TIME article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-12-08T16:04:58.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T13:11:42.412Z article:section: Ideas og:title: San Bernardino Congressman: Suspects on the No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns Too og:description: Moments of silence are not enough og:url: https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt66a1ad4781fe7dbd/698874552dce0101fe9e6d74/aguilar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: 2015 Los Angeles Times og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: San Bernardino Congressman: Suspects on the No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns Too twitter:description: Moments of silence are not enough twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt66a1ad4781fe7dbd/698874552dce0101fe9e6d74/aguilar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # San Bernardino Congressman: Suspects on No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=68b58290-7db9-4c8f-8866-691648217a3c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=68b58290-7db9-4c8f-8866-691648217a3c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=68b58290-7db9-4c8f-8866-691648217a3c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=68b58290-7db9-4c8f-8866-691648217a3c&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) by [Rep. Pete Aguilar](https://time.com/author/rep-pete-aguilar/) ## Rep. Pete Aguilar Dec 8, 2015 4:04 PM UTC  Congressman Pete Aguilar speaks at a Redland's interfaith group prayer vigil held at the Islamic Center of Redlands in Redlands, Calif. on Dec. 4, 2015. Congressman Pete Aguilar speaks at a Redland's interfaith group prayer vigil held at the Islamic Center of Redlands in Redlands, Calif. on Dec. 4, 2015. Irfan Khan—LA Times via Getty Images by [Rep. Pete Aguilar](https://time.com/author/rep-pete-aguilar/) ## Rep. Pete Aguilar Dec 8, 2015 4:04 PM UTC On Dec. 2, I voted to allow debate on bipartisan legislation that would prevent suspected terrorists on the no-fly list from buying firearms. Moments after House Republicans blocked the legislation from being debated by the House of Representatives, I received text messages from my staff and friends at home saying that there was an active shooter in San Bernardino, Calif. The day after the horrific events at the Inland Regional Center, House Republicans blocked the measure again. As I rushed back to my office from the House floor, my mind raced back and forth about what was going on—who can commit such a heinous crime, how can this happen in our community, and why would someone seek to kill so many innocent people? I thought about the people affected and what their families were going through. My mind went to my brother, sister-in-law, uncle and friends who are all San Bernardino County employees working in different facilities. I knew I needed to get home as quickly as possible. After taking the first plane I could out of Washington, D.C., I landed in Los Angeles and drove to our law enforcement’s command center to be briefed by investigators. In the days that followed, we learned the names and stories of the 14 innocent lives that were viciously ended as they gathered for a holiday party. Since that terrible day, in the face of tragedy and despair, I’ve witnessed the incomparable ability of this community to rise up and stand together. During these dark times, I’ve attended vigils, community gatherings and memorial services and heard the same message from priests, pastors, rabbis and imams: we stand as one, and unity will help our community overcome our sorrow, fear and confusion. As our community mourns, we remain united and stronger than ever. I echo President Barack Obama’s message of supporting each other as we rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating attack and condemning the actions of the attackers and their destructive ideology. The heroic actions of our law enforcement officers, paramedics and firefighters who risked their lives to end the violence, and the doctors and nurses who continue to tend to the wounded deserve continued recognition. Now more than ever, we need to come together across boundaries of religion, race and any other differences that our enemies would like to use to divide us. San Bernardino is a community rich with diversity and history—this is something to embrace, not reject. We need to do more to combat ISIS to eliminate threats abroad and at home. As we continue to take the fight to ISIS, it is imperative that we explore every option available to the United States and our allies. This includes additional special operations forces and possible no-fly zones. Given the role technology and social media plays in our fight against ISIS, we need to work with companies to do a better job of tracking and reporting these posts so law enforcement and intelligence agencies can follow up appropriately. In addition to these steps, we must confront the epidemic of gun violence at home. It’s necessary for the future of our country to have meaningful conversations and action to prevent future terrorist attacks like this, and that includes reasonable changes to our nation’s gun laws. Gun violence has been a consistent problem in San Bernardino, a city that has seen hundreds of gun-related crimes this year alone. And now, in the wake of this tragedy, we must lead and tell the nation that guns are not more valuable than lives. The epidemic of gun violence is unique to our nation among developed countries—it just doesn’t happen in other places like it does here. Americans are about 20 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than in any other developed country. In his address to the nation, President Obama outlined changes, like banning terror suspects on the no-fly list from buying guns and making it harder to acquire the assault weapons used to kill with lethal efficiency. Under federal law, domestic abusers, convicted felons and individuals with threatening mental illness can purchase firearms without background checks. This is unacceptable. While no single reform could have stopped the tragedy that unfolded in San Bernardino, that is not an excuse to ignore commonsense measures that make our communities safer. So far, the only action Congress has taken this year in response to gun violence has been holding moments of silence. With respect to my colleagues, silence won’t help us stop this—only meaningful action will do that. I remain committed to changing our laws to protect my community in San Bernardino and communities across the country from murderers and terrorists driven to kill. As a Congressman and as a father, I believe that we can be better and do better to respond to the domestic and international threats our nation faces. As our community moves forward, we will show the country and world the resiliency of San Bernardino. We will remain unified, undeterred and unafraid. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/"},"headline":"San Bernardino Congressman: Suspects on No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns","datePublished":"2015-12-08T16:04:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T13:11:42.412Z","description":"The only action Congress has taken this year in response to gun violence has been holding moments of silence—that's not enough","url":"https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/","keywords":["politics"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt66a1ad4781fe7dbd/698874552dce0101fe9e6d74/aguilar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rep. Pete Aguilar","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rep-pete-aguilar/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt66a1ad4781fe7dbd/698874552dce0101fe9e6d74/aguilar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"2015 Los Angeles Times","caption":"2015 Los Angeles Times","creditText":"Irfan Khan—LA Times via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/politics/","name":"politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4140447/pete-aguilar-no-fly-list-gun-control/","name":"San Bernardino Congressman: Suspects on No-Fly List Should Be Banned From Guns"}}]}] ```