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Last year, the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019. This legislation is the most significant and meaningful gun safety measure passed by Congress in nearly two decades.
Despite overwhelming support from the American people, the bill still has not been considered by the Senate despite the tragic fact that nearly 40,000 Americans died from gun violence over the last year.
Who is the culprit on this criminal inaction? Mitch McConnell.
Leader McConnell and other Republicans are allowing special interest extremists to thwart any and all action that would save lives. They may not be pulling the trigger, but their inaction allows guns to fall into the hands of individuals intent on harming others or themselves.
We have already witnessed more than 30 mass shootings in 2020 — and it’s only March. It is sickening that people continue losing loved ones every day to gun violence as Congress fails to act.
Many of my constituents from Chicagoland know the reality of gun violence all too well. This time last year, 11-year old Takiya Holmes was shot and killed by a stray bullet while sitting in a van. She was one of three children killed in just two days.
But gun violence is not limited to big cities. It impacts every community and every family, including those represented by Mitch McConnell.
When talking about gun violence, which disproportionately affects Black and brown people, our leaders love to point fingers at cities like Chicago. Our local and state leaders have done a lot to reduce crime and create opportunities for young people, but we need federal action. According to the Chicago Police Department, more than half of guns used to commit crimes in Chicago come from outside Illinois, largely from our neighbors in Indiana and Wisconsin which have extremely weak gun laws. To address this challenge, we need action at the federal level, such as universal background checks and anti-trafficking laws, to keep guns out of the hands of people who should never have them.
What’s maddening about the Senate’s inaction is that background checks are one of the few policy issues which upon nearly all Americans agree. In fact, 90% of Americans support a stronger, more robust background check system. So why can’t we get something done? Could it be the million-plus the NRA has donated to Mitch McConnell over his career?
While the Senate must immediately act on the bipartisan background check bill, we cannot stop there. We need to take further action. Research by Amnesty International USA shows that there are insufficient laws to keep track of firearms and prevent them from falling into the hands of people who intend harm. In December, the FBI issued more than 4,000 requests to retrieve guns from prohibited buyers.
Any solution cannot be exclusively focused on guns themselves. We need to address the root causes of gun violence, especially urban gun violence. Nothing stops a bullet like an opportunity. We need to create opportunities and foster hope in our communities, so our young people can pick up job and coding skills, not guns.
I'm reintroducing my Urban Progress Act – or UP Act. This legislation would address easy access to guns and the systemic disinvestment in our communities that foster violence.
The scale of our gun violence crisis continues to grow, and nearly every American, in one way or another, has been impacted. More than 400 people are shot every day in the U.S., 100 will die and 300 will have their lives changed forever. That’s every single day. What is Mitch McConnell waiting for?
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Congresswoman Robin Kelly represents Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District. She is the Vice Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
