Roe Statement on Recent Mass Shootings

Statement

Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement in response to the recent mass shootings:

"My heart breaks for the families and friends of the victims of these recent shootings. I join President Trump and all political leaders in denouncing the hateful ideology of white supremacy, which the El Paso shooter used as his justification. It has no place in our society. I am troubled that instead of seeking to find common ground to stop future incidences of violence, too many are trying to cast blame instead. We do need to address the glorification of violence and extreme isolation in our culture that has led to some of these horrific events. We can and should do more to better address mental health challenges in our communities. I also believe we should continue to improve compliance with the laws we already have on the books designed to prevent criminals and the mentally unstable from purchasing firearms. That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 1339, the Mass Violence Prevention (MVP) Act to establish a fusion center at the FBI between local, state and federal law enforcement coordination efforts to identify potential threats and respond promptly. I believe that with the right to keep and bear arms comes a responsibility to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists, criminals, children and the mentally ill, which is why the current system of background checks makes sense. This issue cannot be dealt with overnight, so I think it's important that we listen to our constituents over the course of this month and come back ready to address these challenges."

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