Dear friend – I’m heartbroken and, more to the point, I’m angry. We’re 146 days into 2022, and so far there have been 212 mass shootings.

All loss of life from gun violence is senseless and tragic – and this most recent news out of Uvalde is particularly devastating.

They were children.

How much longer must we wait before Republican lawmakers at the state and national levels finally take the steps to stop the senseless slaughter of Americans caused by gun violence? House Democrats have already passed two bills closing loopholes on background checks for guns with bipartisan support.

And yet nothing is being done because our Republican colleagues in the Senate refuse to act. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — doing nothing is not an option.

Now is not the time for platitudes, for thoughts and prayers, for empty words. Gun violence in our country is a public health crisis. Our children are not safe, and gun lobbyists are still meeting this weekend in Texas at an NRA convention to garner the support that enables these slaughters.

My heart goes out to every family impacted — within the last 48 hours, and every victim of preventable gun violence. As a mother myself, I cannot conceive of the pain that Uvalde families feel right now. As someone who serves in DC, I cannot believe that feckless Republican senators prioritize their own power, their own elections, over the lives of our children.

We are failing parents and children. We are failing one another.

We need to address this uniquely American tragedy now, and I am more determined than ever to take additional action on gun violence. In the coming weeks, the House will pass a red flag bill to prohibit a person who poses a risk to themselves or others from buying a gun – an initiative supported by 67% of gun owners.

Americans broadly support stricter gun control measures, and our children are depending on us to come up with solutions for this crisis. It is unconscionable that the gun lobby and its Republican enablers actively work to keep American children and families in harm’s way – and I’ll fight like hell and do all that I can to stop them.

With determination,
Madeleine

Madeleine is an attorney, professor, mother, grandmother, and Member of Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District of Berks and Montgomery Counties. She is an outspoken leader who champions progressive priorities such as education, universal access to healthcare, gun safety, and ethical government. Madeleine Dean has built a reputation for getting things done, and we need her to continue to be our voice to serve us in Congress.

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