Esty, DeLauro, Malloy Hold ‘National Day of Action’ Event on Gun Violence Prevention
FARMINGTON, CT (June 29, 2016) — Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-05), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Governor Dannel P. Malloy this morning joined survivors of gun violence, public health experts, clergy, LGBT advocates, and others from across Connecticut at UConn Health Center for a “National Day of Action” event calling for action to prevent gun violence.
Click here to view video from the event.
Family members of gun violence victims shared personal stories of how gun violence has affected their lives. Dr. Richard Kamin, an emergency physician at UConn Health, spoke about the need to address gun violence as a national public health emergency.
Today’s National Day of Action comes in the wake of House Democrats’ historic 26-hour sit-in on the House floor, in which all five of Connecticut’s representatives in the House participated, and the Senate Democrats’ 15-hour filibuster led by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) calling for action on gun violence prevention legislation.
“The most exciting part about the last two weeks is what you’re seeing here. Today and every day, all across this country, we are seeing the American people rising up and saying, ‘Enough is enough,’” Esty said. “You can turn off the lights. You can shut down the mics. But you can’t shut down the American people. We won’t stop pushing until we get a vote.”
“We have a responsibility to address the issue of universal background checks, to say ‘no’ to putting guns in the hands of potential terrorists, to ban all assault weapons, and to conduct research on gun violence. We need to be able to hold gun manufacturers accountable for crimes committed with their guns. And we must provide additional mental health resources and fund mental health programs sufficiently, so that people get the help they need,” DeLauro said. “As Members of Congress, we were elected to protect our constituents, to listen to their voices, and to vote on the issues they care about most. On today’s National Day of Action, let us make our voices heard.”
“In Connecticut, we have led by enacting the smartest gun law in the nation – and our communities are safer for it,” Malloy said. “We are indeed a model for other states. In Washington, our Congressional delegation has stood for commonsense steps, which the vast majority of Americans support, to save lives. Time and time again, smart policies like universal background checks have been impeded by those who want to stand in the way of progress. We must not relent, because commonsense gun violence laws are not just the smart thing to do – they're the right thing to do. On this National Day of Action to prevent gun violence, our hearts go out to all the victims of gun violence, their family members, and loved ones. Enough is enough.”
“Just one week after the historic sit-in on the House floor, today leaders in Congress will hold yet another historic event to urge our elected officials in the U.S. House of Representatives to hold a vote on bipartisan legislation that protects the rights of law-abiding Americans, keeps guns out of the wrong hands, and saves lives,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Co-Founder of the gun violence prevention organization Americans for Responsible Solutions. “I want to thank Congresswoman DeLauro and Congresswoman Esty for helping lead the fight against our nation’s gun violence crisis. Speaking is difficult for me. But I haven't been silenced. And neither should the American people. Their Representatives must vote to make our communities safer.”
Today, lawmakers and community leaders across the country are holding dozens of events for the “National Day of Action” and calling on Congress to finally address our nation’s epidemic of gun violence.
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