Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris on Today's Justice Department Report on the Uvalde School Shooting Response

Press Release

"We will never forget the 19 children and two teachers who were killed in their classrooms during a senseless mass shooting carried out with a weapon of war. In the days and months since they lost their lives and 17 others were injured, the families in Uvalde have channeled their anguish into advocacy -- demanding accountability, justice, and action to change the unacceptable fact that gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in our nation.

With their help, President Biden and I fought to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years. Working with gun safety organizers and advocates including young leaders across the country, we have also taken more executive action to reduce gun violence than any other Administration in history. This includes establishing the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. But we know more must be done.

Today's devastating report by the Justice Department makes it clear that there were multiple failures in Uvalde that hold urgent lessons for our nation, and our Administration remains committed to ensuring that communities have the resources and support they need to respond more effectively.

As we do so, I am continuing to call on Congress and state legislators throughout America to have the courage to act by banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, passing red flag laws, and making background checks universal. These commonsense solutions will save lives and ensure that fewer children, families, and communities experience the trauma and pain that Uvalde has suffered."

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