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Family members of the nine people killed in last month's shooting in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, traveled to the nation's capital Wednesday to turn their grief into action.

The families, accompanied by Charleston community leaders and advocates for more stringent gun laws, called on lawmakers in Congress to push for a vote on legislation that would expand background checks for gun sales.

The South Carolina legislature is taking steps to remove the Confederate flagfrom the statehouse grounds following the mass shooting at a historic African-American church in Charleston, but a group of congressmen are arguing the tragedy should prompt a greater response. Specifically, they argue it should give the U.S. Congress one more significant reason to take up gun control.

Family members of several people who were killed by gun violence in America — including the recent shooting at a South Carolina church — clutched photos of loved ones as they stood next to top Democrats as part of a call for stricter gun control measures on Wednesday.

Andre Duncan, who lost his aunt, Myra Thompson, in the Charleston shooting last month said he believes the tragedy "made Charleston much stronger than it ever was".

Thompson was killed June 17 along with eight other parishioners at Emanuel AME Church when a gunman opened fire during a bible study session.

Medicare, which sends about $300 million annually to Napa County and helps thousands of local residents age 65 and older with their medical expenses, is 50 years old this month.

On Monday, the Napa Senior Activity Center hosted a small Medicare birthday party. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, came to cut a cake in honor of the program.

"Show of hands – how many people here are beneficiaries of Medicare?" Thompson said to a roomful of about 40 seniors eating lunch.

Some $10.9 million of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant is coming to Head Start and Early Head Start services throughout Solano and Napa counties, Rep. Mike Thompson's office announced Monday.

The award is the first installment of a five-year grant which Child Start, Inc. won through a competitive process established by Health and Human Services. Child Start, Inc. will receive a grant of the same amount for the next four years.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson announced a $10.9 million U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant for Child Start Inc., which provides Head Start and Early Head Start services to children and families throughout Napa and Solano counties.

The award is the first of a five-year grant that Child Start Inc. won through a competitive process established by HHS. Child Start Inc. will receive a grant of the same amount for the next four years.

A widely circulated photo shows Dylann Roof posing with a Confederate battle flag and a semi-automatic handgun.

In the two weeks since Roof shot nine people to death in a Charleston, S.C., church, opposition to public displays of the Civil War banner hardened, Wal-Mart and other mega merchants halted sales of the flag and flag-themed merchandise, and a small army of waffling politicians hustled to catch up with their constituents.

Scott De Leon, Director of the Lake County Water Resources Department, and U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), co-chair of the Invasive Species Caucus, were honored last week in Washington, D.C. at the second annual Reduce Risks from Invasive Species Coalition (RRISC) Congressional Reception and Awards Program.

Thompson, along with co-chair Dan Benishek (R-MI), received the "Outstanding Leadership by an Election Official in Protecting America's Environment and Economy" award. De Leon received the "Outstanding Achievement by a Local Government Agency" award.