John, 

On Tuesday, an 18-year-old student with an assault rifle walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and opened fire, killing 19 innocent children and two heroic teachers. Just the week before, the Black community in Buffalo, New York, experienced a devastating massacre by a white nationalist who shot and killed 10 people in a supermarket. Too many innocent Americans will tragically never go home to their families again due to gun violence.

I'm not just heartbroken – I'm angry to my core. And you should be angry too.

Tuesday's deadly shooting marks more than 200 mass shootings this year already. Let that sink in: America has seen more mass shootings than days in the year.

As a veteran, a teacher, a mom, and a Member of Congress, I feel compelled to speak out.

Families are scared. Our kids are scared. No solution is perfect, but we must have the courage to start somewhere.

We can start with universal background checks. Almost 90% of the country supports this measure, which would keep guns out of the wrong hands and save so many lives. I'm calling on the Senate to act now and institute universal background checks on all gun purchases immediately.

Nothing we can say – no thoughts or prayers – will bring back the 19 children and two devoted teachers who were senselessly killed. Or those gunned down in Buffalo. Nothing we can say will fill the hole created by those they left behind.

The only way we can prevent the same tragedies from happening again is by taking action.

I'm sending my love to each of you and your families during this difficult time. Keep your loved ones close.

There is work to be done,

Chrissy