Bonamici Stands with Students Calling on Congress to Prevent Gun Violence
Congresswoman Calls STOP School Violence Act a Start, But More Action is Needed
WASHINGTON, DC [03/14/18] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a leader on the House Education Committee and member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, stood in solidarity with students participating in the National School Walkout to protest gun violence. The walkout falls one month after 17 students and educators were murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
You can watch a video of Bonamici's message to students here, and a video of her remarks on the House Floor here.
"We refuse to accept gun violence as normal," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "I stand with students from Oregon to Florida speaking up and making their voices heard. Congress can and must take action to prevent gun violence and save lives. To all the students who joined the walkouts, please know I'm with you and I support your fight to make your schools safer."
Today the House of Representatives passed the STOP School Violence Act with Bonamici's support. The legislation increases funding for the Department of Justice's Secure Our Schools program, which provides grants to train law enforcement, school personnel, and students to help prevent violence. The legislation includes explicit language prohibiting funds from being used to arm educators with weapons.
"The STOP School Violence Act is a modest first step, but we must do more," Bonamici continued. "Every day in our country, people lose their lives to gun violence. Congress must come together to answer the call of the vast majority of Americans for stronger, universal background checks and for stopping dangerous individuals from getting guns."
Bonamici has long been an advocate for commonsense gun violence prevention laws. She is a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to close the "gun show" loophole and require federal background checks for all gun sales. She is also a cosponsor of legislation to prevent domestic abusers from possessing firearms and legislation to reinstate the assault weapons ban.
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