PSU student gun violence prevention advocate attends State of the Union address

Portland State freshman Alexandria Goddard sat in the gallery above Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici in the U.S. House of Representatives Chamber this week hoping to hear President Trump talk about gun violence prevention during his State of the Union address.

Instead, the president focused on the economy and immigration, repeating his calls for Congress to authorize funding for a wall on the southwestern border.

"I was disappointed," said Goddard, an Honors College student and gun violence prevention advocate who was Bonamici's guest for the speech. "We need more laws to create background checks and longer waiting periods on gun purchases as well as safe storage of firearms to keep society safe and reduce gun-related crimes, suicides and accidental shootings."