In America, the tragedy of gun violence steals the lives of nearly 40,000 people every year – including 47 children and teenagers every single day.  Too often, our nation has been forced to console family members & comfort shattered communities.  While our grief remains raw and our hearts remain broken, our spirits remain strong.

In communities across the country, we have been blessed and inspired by the strength & persistence of the survivors, their supporters and friends who have turned their grief into courageous action.  

To honor their determination and courage, within the first 100 days of our new Democratic Majority, the House of Representatives voted on two long-overdue bills to end the daily horror of gun violence. We proudly passed H.R. 8, which expands background checks to all gun sales to make them universal, and H.R. 1112, which addresses the ‘Charleston Loophole’ that previously allowed gun dealers to sell a firearm to dangerous individuals if the FBI background check had not been completed within three business days. These bipartisan, commonsense bills respect the will of the American people – more than 90 percent of whom support universal background checks, including more than 90 percent of gun-owning households.  

We must continue to turn our pain and heartbreak into action and draw strength from the brave survivors and millions of young people across America who are marching and mobilizing to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Our Democratic Majority will continue to fight tirelessly for bipartisan, commonsense solutions to end the epidemic of gun violence and honor our obligation to keep our children and our communities safe. 

Together, let us create a future in which no family is forced to endure the heartbreak of gun violence – on our streets, in our schools, in our places of worship and everywhere.