Bill Lee: “I thank Congresswoman Kelly for her tremendous leadership on so many fronts, especially as chair of the Congressional…”

“I thank Congresswoman Kelly for her tremendous leadership on so many fronts, especially as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and for her tireless work in helping us focus on the fact that gun violence should be treated as a public health crises and that it is just that. Congress needs to do something to stop this epidemic of gun violence that is destroying so many communities all around the country. On an average day, 93 innocent lives in America are cut short, due to gun violence. These senseless deaths also disproportionately impact communities of color. As a Representative from California's 13th Congressional District, I know all too well the devastating impact that gun violence has on our communities. In fact, the Center for Disease Control recently reported that African-American children have the highest rates of firearm mortality overall. They are about 10 times more likely than White children to be killed by guns. Latino children are twice as likely as White children to be killed by guns. But no child--and I mean no child--regardless of their background, wealth, ZIP Code, or race, should be killed by gun violence. No child. It pains me, and I know it pains their parents and family members, to know that such promising young people have left us too soon. Tonight, let me just read the names of a few of Oakland's children who have lost their lives to gun violence this year: Anibal Andres Ramirez, who was only 13.…”