Senator Murray: “Simply put—our kids and grandkids deserve to be safe from gun violence in their schools and in our streets.”
***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S FULL REMARKS HERE***
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, in a speech on the Senate floor, former pre-school teacher and U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) reiterated the calls of people in Washington state and across the country for bold action on gun safety legislation in the Senate, and decried Republican obstruction to life-saving measures such as universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. Senator Murray’s speech follows the school shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan and subsequent threats of violence at several schools across Western Washington state last week.
“People want an end to school shootings, an end to shootings at our churches and places of worship, an end to shootings at our malls and stores, and an end to the gun violence that doesn’t always make the news but happens on our streets and in our neighborhoods. As Senator Murphy said last week—we are the only high income nation in the world where this happens. But it happens because we let it happen,” Senator Murray said. “Because despite how many times my Democratic colleagues and I have come to the Senate floor with common-sense, popular, legislation to help prevent gun violence, our Republican colleagues block us from even debating the bills—let alone voting on them.”
For years, Senator Murray and Senate Democrats have pushed for common sense, popular gun violence prevention measures, such as universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, extreme risk protection orders, and more. While Washington state already has many of these measures in place at the state level, Senator Murray made clear that the epidemic of gun violence in America cannot be fully addressed without federal action.
“We can’t address the full scope of the gun violence epidemic in this country without taking major federal action on universal background checks, an assault weapons ban—a patchwork of gun safety laws is simply not adequate—we need federal laws in place to protect our families. And the fact that one party has listened to the voices of parents across the country and taken to the floor once again to call for an end to gun violence, while the other listens to the gun lobby and stays silent in the face of repeated tragedy—speaks volumes. Simply put—our kids and grandkids deserve to be safe from gun violence in their schools and in our streets,” Senator Murray continued.
“I refuse to let Republican obstruction continue to get in the way of common-sense measures that will save lives. All options need to be on the table—it’s time we restore the Senate to make sure this institution can actually serve the interests of the vast majority of the American public.”
Senator Murray’s floor remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:
“Thank you M. President.
“I rise today—as I have done too many times before and as my colleague Senator Murphy did last week—to reiterate what people across my home state and the entire country have been calling for, for years now.
“Calling for us to take action here in the Senate to end the crisis of gun violence we are seeing in our schools, our neighborhoods, and across our country.
“Last week, we mourned the deaths of four high school students following the tragic school shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan.
My heart goes out to those four students’ families and friends.
“And my heart goes out to every student at Oxford High, who is now carrying the trauma of that experience.
“My heart breaks for every student in this country who grows up thinking something like this will eventually happen to them, at their school.
“And my heart hurts for every parent who worries every time they send their kid off to school, because let’s face it—school shootings are a very real threat in this country.
“As a parent and grandparent, and former pre-school teacher, I know school is supposed to be a place where our children feel safe.
“Where they can go to learn, and grow and see friends.
“Where they can be kids.
“But after weeks like last week, that feeling disappears.
“Following school shootings like the one we saw in Michigan.
“Or threats to schools like we saw last week in my home state of Washington.
“Just last week, my hometown high school—Bothell High School—was shut down over concerns about a threat of violence.
“Ferndale High School was in lock down Wednesday because of the threat of a gun on campus.
“And that same Wednesday—the day after the shooting in Michigan—threats were made targeting 3 schools in the Mukilteo School District forcing local law enforcement to mobilize resources and personnel.
“All of this in just one week.
“And while luckily none of the threats we saw in my home state escalated any further—thanks in large part to the quick work of local officials—in the same week, Seattle saw six shootings in just over twenty-four hours.
“From January through October of this year, Seattle has already seen more than 500 shooting incidents.
“It’s already the most shootings the city has seen in the last decade.
“I know I’m not the only one who thinks this cannot continue.
“I know, because for years I have heard from students, teachers, and parents from my state who want major federal action to finally end the gun violence epidemic in this country.
“People want an end to school shootings, an end to shootings at our churches and places of worship, an end to shootings at our malls and stores, and an end to the gun violence that doesn’t always make the news but happens on our streets and in our neighborhoods.
“As Senator Murphy said last week—we are the only high income nation in the world where this happens.
“But it happens because we let it happen.
“Because despite how many times my Democratic colleagues and I have come to the Senate floor with common-sense, popular, legislation to help prevent gun violence, our Republican colleagues block us from even debating the bills—let alone voting on them.
“Think about that.
“They won’t even allow a debate on legislation that would save lives.
“So I ask them—how many times are we going to go through this cycle?
“What will you tell parents in this country when they ask you what you did to stop the next school shooting?
“How many times will you refuse to even debate common-sense steps to keep our communities safe?
“It’s past time Republicans either get on board with taking actions to stop these shootings—or at least get out of the way.
“Like so many parents or grandparents, want to stop worrying if kids are safe in school.
“And like so many Americans, I am done with my Republican colleagues blocking common sense gun laws at every turn.
“At this point, you’re either in favor of taking action to help put an end to these shootings—or you’re against it.
“Washington can and should continue to build on its gun safety laws.
“The administration can and should continue to invest in Community Violence Intervention programs.
“But here’s the deal: we can’t address the full scope of the gun violence epidemic in this country without taking major federal action on universal background checks, an assault weapons ban—a patchwork of gun safety laws is simply not adequate—we need federal laws in place to protect our families.
“And the fact that one party has listened to the voices of parents across the country and taken to the floor once again to call for an end to gun violence, while the other listens to the gun lobby and stays silent in the face of repeated tragedy—speaks volumes.
“Simply put—our kids and grandkids deserve to be safe from gun violence in their schools and in our streets.
“I refuse to let Republican obstruction continue to get in the way of common-sense measures that will save lives.
“All options need to be on the table—it’s time we restore the Senate to make sure this institution can actually serve the interests of the vast majority of the American public.
“So I promise all of the parents, and grandparents—and everyone in Washington state—that despite the obstruction and silence from my Republican colleagues, I will not stay quiet and I will keep pushing for change—and I hope the American people will do the same.”
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