Lucille Roybal-Allard: “We have a gun epidemic which is unique to America. As a mother and grandmother, like the rest of the nation, I am…”

“We have a gun epidemic which is unique to America. As a mother and grandmother, like the rest of the nation, I am heartbroken by the horrifying killings of innocent Americans, especially our children. In 2021, homicides hit a 15 year high in Los Angeles. And this year, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, people are being killed at a faster pace than last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2020, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries. Of these, 19,384, died violently. These are not just numbers. They represent individuals whose lives were cut short as a result of gun violence. They were moms, dads, sons, and daughters. They belonged to a family, they were loved, and will forever be missed. They should be here today. Mass shootings must not be an acceptable norm. Changing our culture of gun violence will not happen overnight. We must start the process now. There is no excuse for failing to try. I urge my Republican colleagues to put partisan politics and special interests aside and join us in support of this commonsense legislation to help keep our children and fellow Americans safe. Our thoughts and prayers are not enough if we fail to act and continue to ignore the gun violence which forever shatters the hearts of families across our nation. Martin Luther King Jr., reminded us that ``the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'' To my Republican colleagues, you do not need more time.…”