STATEMENT: Congresswoman Delia Ramirez Statement on Nationwide Cycle of Gun Violence and Public Safety after Michigan State University Mass Shooting and 3-Year Mark after Aurora, Illinois Mass Shooting

Chicago, IL - Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03) released the following statement on the nationwide cycle of gun violence and public safety:

"Gun violence is a public health crisis and it is the number one killer of our youth. My heart goes out to the Michigan State University and East Lansing communities who are grieving after the shooting this week that left three students dead and more in critical condition. Until meaningful, comprehensive gun control is the law of the land, we will continue to lose children and loved ones to this manmade crisis," said Congresswoman Ramirez. "The impact of gun violence on our public safety is never isolated to one family or one event. In 2023 alone, there have been 67 known mass shootings. In Illinois, it was less than a year ago that a gunman opened fire at a Fourth of July celebration, killing seven people and injuring several more. Today, February 15th, marks three years after a mass shooting in Aurora, Illinois when a gunman killed six people at the Henry Pratt Company. We cannot simply offer our condolences. It is traumatizing and destabilizing on an individual and community-wide level. We need public health and preventative safety strategies that center people over the gun lobby, which is why we need an assault weapons ban, effective extreme risk order protections, common sense safe storage requirements and stronger background checks as a bare minimum. President Biden has been using his executive authority to put important protections in place, but Republican judges continue to undermine our public safety. It is absolutely essential that Congress codify these protections in law. There is no excuse why Republicans can’t be on board and work with Democrats to build upon the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act signed into law last Congress. That was an important step towards improving public safety, but it could not be clearer that we have an urgent call to action to do more, immediately."