DeLauro Statement on the National School Walkout

NEW HAVEN, CT (April 20, 2018) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement in support of students participating in the National School Walkout.

"Today, students in Connecticut and across the country are standing up to say they are fed up with our nation's lax gun laws. I wholeheartedly support their peaceful protests to demand immediate changes that prevent further gun violence—and I am very proud of Connecticut's own Lane Murdock for her commitment to this issue and her tireless efforts to make the National School Walkout a reality."

"While modest progress has been made through the recent government funding bill—which strengthens our nation's instant background check system, clarifies that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can conduct research on the causes of gun violence, and includes an additional $25 million for school safety initiatives—there is still much more work to be done. The vast majority of Americans support banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as requiring a background check for every commercial gun sale. We should listen to them, and Congress must act immediately."

"The only way these laws will change is through the consistent engagement we are seeing from our young people. They are leading the way in saying that they are not going to tolerate persistent inaction anymore. Our leaders have a clear choice: they can either work to prevent further gun violence, or they can get out of the way."