Duckworth Joins Congressional Leaders On Chicago Gun Violence Prevention Tour

Press Release

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) today joined Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02), members of Congress and several other public officials and leaders to launch the new UP (Urban Progress) Initiative to reduce gun violence, improve communities and increase economic empowerment. The UP Initiative builds on the recommendations made in Congresswoman Kelly's 2014 Kelly Report on Gun Violence in America, focusing on education, mentoring and community development for young people, lifting the ban on federal research on gun violence, improving community relations with police officers, reauthorizing the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, establishing universal background checks for gun purchasers and promoting sustainable economic development.

"This year, the first report of gun violence in Chicago was called in just five minutes after midnight on New Year's Eve," said Congresswoman Duckworth. "A few hours later, we had our first shooting death of the year. That is not the kind of world we want to raise our children in--we have to do so much better. I am looking forward to working every day, pooling our resources and working side by side with other members of Congress to make sure we do better for our children so that they all have a chance to grow up and have productive, wonderful lives--lives that are not cut short by gun violence."

The group stopped at several sites in the city, including the South Side YMCA of Metro Chicago, Kids Off the Block--a community engagement organization trying to help keep young people from negative influences in their communities--and the Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN).

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