Casten Statement on Shootings in El Paso and Dayton
Downers Grove, IL. – U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after the deadly shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas.
Casten said, "My heart breaks for the victims in El Paso and Dayton and the families of those lost. Within 24 hours, 31 Americans are dead because of easy access to deadly guns. Empty thoughts and prayers are not enough, we must act. Gun violence is a national emergency that continues to plague our nation and demands immediate Congressional action. The tragic events of this weekend were driven by hateful rhetoric – and using video games or mental illness is a distraction from the real solution – commonsense gun control.
As lawmakers, it is Congress' job to write the laws and fix the laws. We must implement universal background checks, ban assault weapons, and ensure that those who should not own firearms can never obtain them. The House has voted and passed both H.R. 8 and H.R. 1112 – it's time for the President and the Senate to step up and do their job to protect our country. If 100 million guns were taken off U.S. streets tomorrow, we would still have more guns than any other country. Our mission is clear. We must do more."
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