The shooting by Aaron Alexis that took place in the D.C. Navy Yard may not be enough to convince a stagnant Congress to take action, but that doesn't mean the after affects of the attack won't be felt across the nation. 

On Tuesday, Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz released an open letter in which he requested "that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas." 

He wrote that Starbucks has always held the vision that it will be a"third place between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community." 

Recently, however, Starbucks has been in the center of increasing controversy over gun rights and a push for new legislation aimed at decreasing gun violence. 

On Aug. 9, in what was termed "Starbucks Appreciation Day," gun rights advocates descended on Starbucks locations across the country on a day where they planned to bring their guns and purchase a coffee as a way of saying thank you to Starbucks for allowing guns in their stores. 

One ill-advised rally, however, took place in the Newtown, Conn. Starbucks, only a short distance from the sight of the brutal school shooting earlier this year that killed dozens of people. 

The rally did not sit well with residents of Newtown, whose wounds, both physical and psychological, were still quite fresh. Starbucks, for it's part, tried it's best to remain neutral at the time, saying "We respect the diversity of our customers. We realize there are deep-standing passions on gun ownership. We abide by the laws that permit open carry."

Following the most recent shooting, however, Starbucks has decided to take sides on the issue. Though not an outright ban, the polite request could potentially lead to a ban of open carry if the company feels gun rights activists are attempting to provoke Starbucks or its customers. 

SEE ALSO: Navy Yard Shooting Reveals Military Security Flaws 

Yesterday, President Obama gave a speech in which he said it is up to Congress to finally take action to strengthen the nation's gun control laws to prevent similar events in the future.

"Ultimately this is something that Congress is going to have to act on…I've taken the steps that are within my control. The next phase now is for Congress to go ahead and move." He continued, "I do get concerned that this becomes a ritual that we go through every three, four months, where we have these horrific mass shootings."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, however, did not seem very optimistic on Tuesday about the possibility of even bringing legislation to the floor, let alone passing it, saying that there was quite simply no political motivation in Washington to readdress the gun issue, despite the fact that Aaron Alexis exploited rather large loopholes - he was a convicted felon and had a history of mental instability - in his attempts to get a firearm. 

In rather stark contrast to our lifeless Congress, Starbucks and its CEO have at least taken a stance, and a brave one at that, on this polarizing issue. It remains to be seen whether Congress will follow suit, or if it will take even more shootings and more deaths to spur the legislature in action. 

Reach Executive Producer Christopher Coppock here.