 Dear Friend, Overview (an 11-second scan): • The House passed bipartisan background check legislation, approved $50 million to study gun violence Read my full story (a 59-second read): This year alone, there have been 300 mass shootings in the United States, killing or injuring over 1,500 innocent people. For far too long, the response to these tragedies from our elected officials was to offer thoughts and prayers, hoping to delay until the memory of the most recent horrific incident had faded and the news cycle had moved on. In no small part, that despicable inaction inspired me to run for Congress -- and the new majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is ready to act. Just one month into the new Congress, I joined my colleagues in passing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019. We also approved $50 million in CDC funding to study the root causes of gun violence in our country and propose actionable measures to address it based on real data -- just like we did with automobile safety in the 1970s. Today, however, these bills continue to collect dust on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's desk. This is legislation that's supported by 80% of Americans -- including 8 in 10 Republicans, evangelical Christians, and firearm owners -- yet there's no action coming from his office. The reason they have not acted, of course, is simple: the gun lobby's stranglehold on Congress. Sen. McConnell will not agree to anything without the blessings of the NRA -- and the blessing of President Trump. I return to Congress more resolved than ever to work with my colleagues on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and everyone in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, to finally DO SOMETHING. The House has acted, and we will act again. We just need willing partners in the Senate. And if they stand in the way of progress once again, let's find replacements for them in 2020. Please consider donating to my campaign so that I can continue to fight this critical fight. Thank you. Dean
|
||
|