Issue Position: Preventing Gun Violence

Issue Position

I was honored when Moms Demand Action honored our campaign with the Gun Sense Candidate distinction. We need to solve the epidemic of gun violence in this country. As former Congressmember Gabrielle Giffords said, "In the absence of a Congress ready to act to reduce gun violence, we will keep working to create a different Congress."

After recent mass shootings, we worry about being accused of "politicizing a tragedy." We consider window-dressing "reforms" that don't get to the root of the problem. We let time go by. We fall selfishly back into the smallness of our daily lives as soon as it's socially acceptable to do so.

In the end, we do nothing. We go through this routine time after time because there's a leadership vacuum in this country. Those in charge are bought and paid for by the National Rifle Association to rigidly enforce the status quo, and enforce it they do. Then innocent Americans pay the ultimate price for it.

I support an assault weapons ban and expanding Brady background checks to all gun sales, including those made over the Internet and at gun shows.

I also believe that we must ban bump stocks, while acknowledging that doing so is not a substitute for other gun violence measures. We must also fund research into gun violence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fight concealed carry reciprocity.

It's clear that nothing will change until we empower actual leaders to effect meaningful policy reforms in Washington. It's past time to put people in charge who will actually do something to preempt future tragedies.

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