February 26, 2018
Dear Friends,
By now many of us have had the opportunity to digest the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Fla. on Valentine's Day.
No matter where you stand on the gun violence reform debate, we can all agree that something must be done to prevent not just mass shootings at schools but daily gun violence in communities across the country.
I think most of us can agree that the Constitution allows the government to make and apply strict laws that prevent dangerous people from buying or possessing guns in America.
The Constitution protects the right to own a gun for self-defense. But the Constitution does not grant every person the right to have any gun they want, any time they want, anywhere they want. The drafters of the 2nd Amendment understood that this right could be regulated. Government must respect our constitutional rights, but it must also pass and enforce sensible regulations that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, including felons, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill.
I look forward to joining my colleagues this week in Washington – especially in Judiciary Committee – to see where we can work together to close loopholes, strengthen the background check system and debate better ways to protect our kids and our communities.
I joined my Judiciary Committee colleagues in urging Chairman Bob Goodlatte to bring gun violence prevention legislation before the Judiciary Committee for a vote. For more, click HERE.
INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT: I recently held a Capitol Hill briefing on my H. Res 713, which seeks for Congress to designate January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2024, as the "International Decade for People of African Descent." Panelists included actor and activist Danny Glover and experts in the field of international studies on race and equality. It is fitting that during Black History Month, Americans continue to set aside time to venerate Africans and Afro Descendants and their contributions throughout the Diaspora and all over the world. For more, click HERE.
A BETTER DEAL TO REBUILD AMERICA: Earlier this month, I announced House Democrats' bold new plan for a $1 trillion federal investment to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure – five times more than the paltry sum offered in President Trump's rumored plan. America's infrastructure was once the envy of the world but is now crumbling, leading to more time stuck in traffic and more money wasted every day. As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I'm committed to delivering the kind of investments we need to rebuild America so we can will boost local economies and generate billions of dollars in new economic activity without adding to the deficit. For more, click HERE.