This week, our country woke up to an unimaginable horror. The recent mass shooting in Las Vegas has sparked a renewed debate about whether Congress can and should take action to help prevent gun violence. It’s a debate we’re all familiar with, one that has raged on for years, gaining heightened attention in the aftermath of particularly horrific shootings like those at the Pulse night club in Orlando, Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, and so many other places that have been scorched into our memory because of bullets and bloodshed.
Gun homicides are a too-common cause of death in the United States, and our community is no different. Last weekend, four people were shot in Indianapolis, marking more than 100 homicides in our community so far this year.
We can’t go on like this. We can’t keep engaging in an argument that goes nowhere while we watch scenes of mass shootings unfold in schools, theaters, places of worship and public spaces across the country. We can’t keep ignoring the fact that more than 30,000 people are killed by a gun each year in the United States. And, we can’t keep acting as if there’s nothing we can do about it.
The American people are tired of hearing Congress talk. They are demanding action, and it’s time that we listened.
As a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I continue to support numerous proposals to combat gun violence: universal background checks for firearm purchases, limits on the number of bullets per magazine, a ban on civilian ownership of assault weapons and lifting the ban on gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Everything we propose has been met with unyielding opposition from the Republican majority in the House and Senate. These same colleagues offer words, thoughts and prayers in the House chamber after each mass shooting — the same chamber where, if we chose to act, legislation could be passed within hours to promote responsible gun ownership and prevent future tragedies.
I doubt there is a single member of Congress who doesn’t think gun violence is a problem in America. We may not agree on every solution, but I know that if we can just agree to work together, we will find common ground.
Let’s come together, Democrats and Republicans, and figure out how we can help prevent gun violence in a bipartisan way. Let’s put party aside and come to the table with solutions. Lives depend on it.
Rep. Carson represents the 7th District of Indiana. He is First Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and one of two Muslims in Congress. Rep. Carson sits on the House Intelligence Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Contact Rep. Carson at carson.house.gov/contact.
