Staff Reports
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey and state lawmakers joined elected officials and gun safety advocates from across the country who made the trip to Washington to celebrate passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
The Mayor said it was an honor to represent the capital city and join leaders and activists from around the country at the White House in “recognizing that the issue of gun violence in our communities are local issues.”
“We’re all in this together,” Dailey said.
The gun reform legislation moved forward following the recent deadly mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. It includes expanding background checks for gun purchasers under the age of 21 and pouring $11 billion into mental health services.
In addition, the bill bans people convicted of domestic violence from purchasing firearms for five years.
The U.S. Senate passed the bill in a 65-33 vote on June 23, followed by the House the next day with a 234-193 vote. Democratic President Joe Biden signed it into law on June 25.
Dailey was joined at the White House by state lawmakers, including Sen. Shevrin Jones along with Reps. Dan Daley and Christine Hunschofsky.
On Twitter Hunschofsky posted, “Today was bittersweet because while celebrating, we also remember all the lives that have been taken by gun violence, the communities that still struggle, and the families who have dedicated themselves to do everything in their power to stop gun violence.”
Jones tweeted there is still “much work to do” but that the bill’s passage is a “step in the right direction.”
Daley posted a video message on his Twitter page, saying “It’s great to be with so many folks up here who supported that legislation who work day in and day out all across the country to try and keep our communities safe.”
He added, “The fight continues, but it’s a nice opportunity to celebrate the success that we’ve all achieved.”
Longtime U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz also attended, tweeting that “we’re not done” and quoting the president, saying, “It matters, but it’s not enough.”
The state’s elected leaders were also joined by Florida gun reform advocates like Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime Guttenberg was among the 17 people killed in the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Guttenberg attended a hearing in Broward County on Tuesday, as a panel hears arguments before deciding whether the Guttenbergs can pursue a lawsuit against gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson as well as Sunrise Tactical Supply, the store that sold the gun to the Parkland shooter.
One comment
Don’t Look Up
July 12, 2022 at 6:42 pm
Good grief!
Republicans are committed to arming teachers. Let’s work through this Republican scenario:
1. Teacher is trained to shoot the weapon. A legal gun that shoots one bullet at a time.
2. Police department installs a lock box behind teaching podium.
3. Teacher places loaded gun into the newly installed lock box and dutifully wears a chain necklace with the key attached to school EVERY DAY. SHE NEVER FORGETS TO WEAR THE KEY AROUND HER NECK.
4. A shooter arrives at her open classroom door. (The door must be left unlocked so late students can arrive and students can pass in and out of the door to use restroom)
5. Shooter sees teacher fumbling for her lock box key and shoots her first. BOOM.
6. Shooter proceeds undeterred and kills 90% of students within three minutes.
7. Twenty five minutes after the teacher is murdered, the terrified police arrive and ponder what to do next.
Republicans are America’s problem. Vote Republicans out of office.
Comments are closed.