Hi friend,
In the last few days, I have watched a horrific tragedy strike the community I know and love, the district I call home. I’ve spent the last four days on the ground, speaking to parents and loved ones of the children and teachers whose lives were taken far too soon.
I keep trying to think about what I can tell these families to offer them hope. But honestly friend, I understand why they feel hopeless.
They are experiencing unimaginable pain with no end in sight. Pain for the loss of their child. Pain for the loss of their child’s future. And pain knowing that without meaningful change, their child won’t be the last to die at the hands of senseless gun violence.
Just during my tenure in the Senate, my Democratic colleagues and I have introduced countless bills intended to prevent horrifying events like the one that occurred in Uvalde on Tuesday. But unsurprisingly, Republican lawmakers killed every effort -- despite their empty promises for change in the wake of the shootings in El Paso and Santa Fe.
Well friend, the time for inaction is over. It was over after Sandy Hook. It was over after Parkland. It was over after Santa Fe. And you can sure as hell bet it’s over now.
Yesterday, I stood up to tell Governor Abbott at his press conference in Uvalde that the Senate Democratic Caucus would be delivering a letter to his desk demanding a special legislative session to pass life-saving gun legislation.
Myself, the Senate Democratic Caucus, the Texas Democratic Party, and Texans across our state have one message for Governor Abbott: Bring us back to Austin so we can do our jobs.
When I look into the eyes of these grieving families, I want to be able to truthfully say I’m doing everything I can to ensure this tragedy is the last. I want to be able to tell my community they can safely go to school, go to worship, go to the grocery store, go to work. But I can’t. Not until we take action.
Thank you for all you’re doing,
Senator Roland Gutierrez
Texas Senate District 19
