 Friend, On Tuesday, May 24th, the parents of 19 beautiful fourth graders in Uvalde, Texas kissed their kids, wished them a good day, and sent them off to school not knowing they'd never see them again. Shot to death in school, along with their teachers. Another 17 were wounded. Countless kids and educators are now traumatized for life. Only in America are we subject to this kind of carnage. Every. Damn. Day. As a father of two remarkable daughters who cares deeply about the safety of all Americans – especially children – I say simply, loudly, and passionately: Enough. Last week, I voted for and the House passed with bipartisan support the Protecting Our Kids Act, a comprehensive response to our gun violence epidemic. While it lacks sufficient support in the Senate, negotiators in that chamber recently announced a framework for a bipartisan package that – if passed – would represent the first meaningful federal legislation to curb gun violence in the past three decades. It would invest heavily in mental health and school safety, enhance background checks for those under the age of 21, and help expand so-called red flag laws at the state level. While not a comprehensive response, these are good, commonsense measures, and I'm hopeful that we will get something to the president's desk.
I have long advocated for federal research into our nation's gun violence epidemic. We should treat it like the public health crisis that it is. In 2020, more than 45,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries, with suicide accounting for half of those deaths. And in 2020, for the first time, firearms surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for kids aged 1 and older. On this Father's Day, just imagine how many dads can't hug their children because their lives were cut short by gun violence. We have to do better, and I look forward to hearing from you about what our top priorities should be. Thank you as always for your input – and keep the faith. - Dean
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