Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks: This Senate Is Going To Debate And Address The Epidemic Of Gun Violence In This Country

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the tragic shooting in Boulder, Colorado last night and the need to address the epidemic of gun violence that continues to steal innocent lives with alarming regularity. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

This morning, the nation grieves with the people of Boulder, Colorado, the site of another horrific mass shooting last night. A depraved gunman opened fire inside a local supermarket, killing ten people, including a police officer. Many more are injured.

Our hearts go out to the people of Boulder and the families of those Americans who have lost their lives so unexpectedly. Our thanks again go out to the brave first responders. People kiss someone goodbye for the morning, send somebody off to school, and then they’re never seen again. Never seen again. It's just awful.

It has been less than a week since eight people were killed in another series of shootings in Georgia.

We cannot seem to finish grieving one tragedy before another takes place.

It is a reminder that we must confront a devastating truth in the United States: an unrelenting epidemic of gun violence steals innocent lives with alarming regularity.

Even amidst the pandemic, gun violence has not receded. In fact, confoundingly, it is has grown even worse.

2020 was one of the deadliest years for gun violence in two decades, a reminder that most gun violence doesn’t even make headlines, but nonetheless causes immeasurable devastation to communities from one end of our country to the other.

So we have a lot of work to do.

I have already committed to bringing universal background checks legislation to the floor of the Senate. There is a hearing today in the Senate Judiciary Committee, under Chairman Durbin’s leadership, to examine several common-sense proposals to reduce gun violence.

Two summers ago, the Republican Leader, then the Majority Leader, promised there would be a debate in the Senate on gun violence. But it never happened. It never happened. This Senate will be different. This Senate is going to debate and address the epidemic of gun violence in this country.

Today our hearts are with the people of Colorado, and with everyone whose lives have been touched by gun violence.

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