On the recordOctober 2, 2017
today I wish to voice my support for the victims of the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. This mass shooting was the worst in our Nation's history. There are more than 50 dead and more than 500 wounded. It should shock every American that one individual, with easy access to weapons and ammunition, can inflict such devastation. Sadly, it was only a little more than a year ago that we also experienced what had then been the worst mass shooting in our Nation's history. That was when 49 people who were enjoying an evening of dancing with friends and loved ones were massacred in Orlando. Just 6 months before that, 14 people were killed and more than 20 injured in San Bernardino. Two years ago, on October 1, 2015, an assistant professor and eight students were murdered at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR. In 2013, 12 people were fatally shot at the Navy Yard, less than 2 miles from where I stand today. On December 14, 2012, 20 children had their lives taken at Sandy Hook Elementary School. These massacres have not and will not stop unless we do something. I believe we must acknowledge that these shootings are possible because of our Nation's weak gun laws. Our laws permit criminal and domestic abusers to easily obtain weapons at gunshows and on the internet without a basic background check. We know background checks work.…





