Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray joined Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, for a Facebook Live conversation about preventing gun violence and the stakes of Washington’s U.S. Senate race when it comes to gun safety. Video of the event is available here.
Beyond saying that she is “a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights,” Tiffany Smiley has been notably silent on the campaign trail about what she would do when it comes to preventing gun violence and standing up to the gun lobby. In an interview with the Spokesman-Review, Smiley “would not comment on specific gun legislation or policy idea” [sic]. After the mass shooting in Uvalde, Tiffany Smiley had nothing to offer but thoughts and prayers. Smiley has also said, in reference to mass shootings, that “I do not think they are a uniquely American problem” — despite the fact that numerous analyses have shown that it is; and that the U.S leads the developed world in gun deaths.
“We have made some important progress by passing bipartisan gun safety legislation this year — but we have to do more. I am fighting to advance common-sense gun safety measures like universal background checks and an assault weapons ban, which will save lives and keep weapons of war off our streets and out of the hands of criminals,” said Senator Murray. “Washingtonians who care about preventing gun violence can count on me to be a strong voice for the gun safety reforms we need.”
“Tiffany Smiley’s failure to even mention guns in her public safety platform shows she’s not going to do what it takes to keep us safe,” said Shannon Watts, Founder of Moms Demand Action. “We can’t afford to allow Smiley to help flip the Senate to those who have continually put profits for the gun industry ahead of our fight to end gun violence and save lives. Washington state doesn’t need more empty thoughts and prayers, voters want leaders committed to action and change like Patty Murray. We need leaders who recognize gun violence for the public safety crisis that it is and will stand up to the gun lobby to save kids’ lives — that’s who Patty Murray has been her entire career.”
Senator Murray helped negotiate and pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act this summer, a major gun reform bill that included provisions to close the “boyfriend loophole,” enhanced background checks for gun purchasers under the age of 21, a prohibition on using federal education funding to purchase firearms or train in their use, school safety investments, investments in mental health access in schools and telehealth, and incentives for states to pass and administer red flag laws.
As Chair of the HELP Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray has repeatedly fought to invest federal resources in gun violence prevention research — in 2020, Murray helped usher in the first federal funding for gun violence prevention research in decades and has successfully fought to sustain that funding every year since. Murray has also been a strong supporter of common-sense gun safety reforms, and, for years, has pushed for popular reforms such as universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, extreme risk protection orders, and more.
Following the Uvalde school shooting, Senator Murray called on Republicans to come to the table to make progress on gun violence prevention.
Original source can be found here.
