Casten Reads Names of 665 Children Under 11 Killed by Guns So Far This Year, Unable to Finish Speech
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
June 9, 2022
Contact: Emilia.Rowland@mail.house.gov 330-212-2065
Casten Reads Names of 665 Children Under 11 Killed by Guns So Far This Year, Unable to Finish Speech
Washington, DC (June, 9 2022) – Today on the House floor, US Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) read the names of children under eleven-years-old who were killed by guns so far in 2022–totaling 665. To watch his remarks, click here.
In his speech, Casten said:
"Madam Speaker, I wanted to take a moment to read the names of the children under 10 years old in America who'v been killed by guns so far this year.
"Aiden, age 8
"Alice, a newborn
"Alyssa, age 6
"Amare, age 10
"Andres, age 9
"Antonio, who went by the nick-name "ESPN"" age 7,
"Arbrie, age 8
"Ariah, age 7
"Arlene, age 9
"Asa, age 8
"Ashton, age 2
"Autumn, age 3
"Avere, 3
"Bella, 4 and her sister Brixx who was a newborn
"Bridger, age 10
"Bryson, 3
"Caleb, 5
"Cayden, 10
"Charlie, 10
"Charlotte, 9
"Charvez , 2
"Chloe, 7
"Clesslynn, 2
"I realize you're gaveling me out.
"There are over 600 names on this list—I can't read these in a minute.
"Are we going to act? Or are we going to throw up useless thoughts and prayers?"
In April, Casten led his colleagues on the Gun Violence Prevention task force to call on House Leadership to advance a comprehensive slate of gun violence prevention legislation, including components of the Protecting Our Kids Act the House passed on Wednesday night as well as legislation he introduced to stop the flow of illegally trafficked out-of-state crime guns into states like Illinois.
Congressman Sean Casten said, "My teenage daughter, Gwen organized a ‘Stop-the-bleed' training to learn how to pack a gunshot wound during a school shooting because, in America, our children have taken it upon themselves to do what we here in Congress have failed to do. Every day, 22 children and teens in America are gunned down–meaning that by the end of today, 858 kids will have been exposed to gun violence this year, and 8,000 children and teens will experience gun violence before this year ends. Children shouldn't have to learn how to cower under their desks or apply shoelace tourniquet. I'm proud to cosponsor and vote to pass the Protecting Our Kids Act through the House because there are solutions that we can and must take to save lives and protect our children."
The Protecting Our Kids Act, passed by the House on Wednesday evening and awaiting action by the Senate, takes key steps to address this crisis and safeguard Illinoisans' wellbeing.This bold legislative package includes several measures, including:
- The Raise the Age Act: raising the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons to 21 years old. Currently, someone could buy a semi-automatic rifle, the weapon of choice in many mass shootings, at just 18 years old – yet you must be 21 to buy a less lethal handgun.
- The Prevent Gun Trafficking Act: cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchases to get illegal guns off of our streets.
- The Untraceable Firearms Act: subjecting ghost gun purchases to background check requirements.
- The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act: closing the bump stock loophole to ban these deadly tools from civilian use.
- The Keep Americans Safe Act: outlawing high-capacity magazines, which are designed for killing en masse and have been the accessory of choice in the bloodiest mass shootings.
- Strengthening safe storage requirements to protect children from accidental shootings.
- Requiring an annual report of demographic data of those being determined to be ineligible to purchase guns.
The Protecting Our Kids Act builds on the House's twice-passed legislation advancing universal background checks for all gun purchases, action that is supported by nearly nine in ten Americans. Today, the House is voting on additional legislation establishing extreme risk protection orders, empowering courts to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.