John,

Six years ago today, 17 innocent lives were taken in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. I grieve and pray for all the families and friends of the victims.

I’m intimately familiar with how one’s life changes after losing a loved one to gun violence. My son Jordan was shot and killed over a decade ago, and not a day goes by when I don’t feel the pain of not having him with me.

The solutions to gun violence are simple and evidence-based – we need common-sense laws to make it harder for dangerous people to acquire firearms. And yet, Republicans backed by gun lobbies consistently vote against these reforms.

In fact, right now the Florida legislature is trying to roll back their age restrictions laws so that 18-year-olds would be able to buy guns. This is pandering to the NRA – plain and simple.

It makes me furious when I think about how preventable our epidemic of gun violence is. We need more elected officials who put the safety of their communities first.

I won’t stop leading this fight in Congress. On behalf of the victims in Parkland, my son Jordan, and all others who have been impacted by gun violence, I promise I’ll do all in my power to end the bloodshed.

With love,

Lucy McBath