Week In Review June 16, 2017

This week Congress showed rare bipartisan support after the shooting in Alexandria, VA critically injured Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA). They also came together in 2011 after former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) was critically injured in a shooting. Ironically, at that time  Scalise paid tribute to Gifford, praising her "kindness and decency." 

Despite Congressional shock at the shooting of one of their own in 2011, they failed to pass any significant common sense gun laws either in the immediate aftermath or since. If anything, the NRA has increased its hold on Congress, pushing Representatives to introduce even more bills to make it easier for dangerous individuals to obtain firearms. 

The Sandy Hook school shooting, which killed 20 young children and six adults, saddened our nation. That tragedy spurred emotional speeches in Congress and promises to make our communities safer. But nothing happened. Since then, there have been at least 1,399 mass shootings, with at least 1,564 people killed and 5,515 wounded. 

It remains to be seen if the shooting of Scalise will finally bring the Democrats and Republicans together to find common ground to end gun violence. Our children, our families, and the victims need us to do more than just hope things change. We need to take action. Congress may now be ready to listen. Call your Representative. Urge them to stand up for us and NOT the NRA. We deserve to go to school, work and parks without fear of gun violence.  
 
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Source: Gun Violence Archive