Friends,

Ten years ago today, we felt collective anguish and disbelief when a gunman opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, claiming 26 innocent lives. 

I remember driving home from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark that day, turning on the radio, and hearing the devastating news. At the time, one of my sons was in kindergarten. All I could think about was what if I was getting this news as a parent? What if it was my child in that school? I couldn’t help but cry. 

So many of us hoped that tragedy would finally produce meaningful gun-safety reform. Surely, the mass murder of our children would summon the political will to take action. 

Unfortunately, in the 10 years since that tragic day, we have endured countless more mass shootings, lost thousands of innocent lives, and not done nearly enough to protect our children. Recently, as shootings in places like Uvalde and Colorado Springs have once again left families to confront inconceivable loss, my anguish has increasingly turned into anger. How many times will we have to hear Republican officials offering their thoughts and prayers while they pretend like the solutions aren’t staring us in the face? At times, I have found myself losing hope that change is on the horizon.

But then I see moms like Nicole Hockley, whose son was a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting. In the face of unimaginable suffering, she decided to turn her grief into action. She founded Sandy Hook Promise and fights every day to honor her son’s memory by raising awareness about gun violence. Thousands of moms across the country have followed in her footsteps and are demanding action. Their passion and determination inspire me to continue my work in Congress to combat gun violence. 

In the Navy, I qualified as an expert shot in both the pistol and rifle. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I worked to keep illegal guns off the streets of New Jersey. I know firsthand the power of these weapons. I know the damage they can do. And it is because of that experience that I know this is a fight worth having. 

Earlier this year, I voted for the first comprehensive gun violence prevention package in three decades that includes provisions to enhance background checks, close the boyfriend loophole, invest in mental health resources, help implement extreme risk protection orders, and support community safety. This legislation will save lives, but it must only be the beginning. We need to reinstate the assault weapons ban and finally pass universal background checks.

Families deserve to live in a society free from the fear of gun violence. I will continue fighting to pass common-sense, life-saving measures. I hope you’ll join me in this fight. Because, together, we can work to make a safer America a reality. 

Take care,

Mikie