For former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the issue of gun control is personal. She says:
In the eight years since I was shot, I’ve met thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed by gun violence. Scars. Trauma. Loved ones lost. Far too many families and communities will never be the same. The heartbreaking reality is that so many of these tragedies could have been prevented.
She believes that a lot of the shootings in the United States can be prevented through expanded background checks.:
Four months ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, the first piece of gun safety legislation passed in the House in more than a decade. Americans are now waiting for the Senate to take the next step. With nearly 100,000 people shot every year and nearly 40,000 people killed by guns in 2017 alone, we don’t have a moment to lose.
That passage is part of a letter Giffords sent, this week, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that puts the ball squarely in his court. Huffington Post writes, “The measure has since stalled in the GOP-controlled Senate, with McConnell refusing to commit to bringing the bill up for a vote. The National Rifle Association has vehemently denounced the bill and it is unlikely that enough Senate Republicans will help take it to a final vote.”
But Giffords isn’t going to throw in the towel saying:
We have a choice between unfettered fear and simple courage. In supporting background checks, the American people—and the U.S. House of Representatives—have chosen the latter. Now, the choice is yours, Senator.
Every moment we don’t act puts more lives at stake, more Americans at risk.
We reached out to McConnell’s office for comment, but haven’t heard back yet.
