Political Quotes

“No one should experience what the students of Parkland, Florida, did last week. My heart breaks for that community, for the lives of the lost, for those who were injured, and for the families that were affected. No family should ever have to bury a child because of gun violence in school. Mr. Speaker, we need sensible gun violence prevention legislation to finally begin to address these tragedies, but I want to say I cannot support the President's frightening proposal to put more guns in our Nation's schools, in our Nation's classrooms. I wholeheartedly agree that we must make our schools safer places for students to learn, but arming teachers will do just the opposite. I know firsthand that accidents can happen even when guns are in the hands of highly trained firearms experts. I speak from this wheelchair today because, when I was 16, a stray bullet hit my spine and left me paralyzed. This was at the hands of two weapons experts on the police SWAT team. My accident occurred as a police cadet in the police department among trained experts. Just imagine what could happen in a school filled with children with people who are handling firearms who are not as well trained. Mr. Speaker, we must do more to keep our students safe. More guns around them is not the answer. ____________________”