Mary Gay Scanlon: “Last week was National Gun Violence Survivors Week, when we reflect on the toll that gun violence takes on all of us. It…”

“Last week was National Gun Violence Survivors Week, when we reflect on the toll that gun violence takes on all of us. It is disgraceful enough that our Republican colleagues are unwilling to confront gun violence as the leading cause of death among American children, but last week, several Members of this body chose to mock the somber week by wearing assault rifle pins. Those Members paraded through the Halls of Congress and on this floor, celebrating the weapon of choice for military combatants, mass murderers, and those who have fetishized the Second Amendment. This shameless gesture was received loud and clear by Americans, including a mother in my district who recently lost her son to gun violence. She called my office after seeing those Members, distraught by their casual cruelty and their dangerous promotion of violence. I rise today as the voice in Congress for that brokenhearted mother to make this very clear: House Democrats are united in the fight to end senseless gun violence. We want to advance real solutions, and we will always stand up to extremist behavior that threatens the safety of our communities. {time} 1015 Recognizing Betsy Walls, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Trailblazer”