Gabby Giffords & Mark Kelly Statement Marking Three Years Since the Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School December 13, 2015 – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, Co-Founders of Americans for Responsible Solutions, issued the below statement today on the third anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which falls Monday, December 14:
“Three years ago, Americans’ hearts broke as we all began to hear the news: 20 children and six of their teachers had been gunned in their classrooms at Sandy Hook Elementary. “In the ensuing days, we heard stories of courage and bravery. But mostly, there was a lot of pain and grief.“After the tragedy, we visited the parents of some of the slain children. In their grief, the parents took out their iPhones to show us pictures of their kids – kids who had been murdered just days earlier. The depth of their pain is impossible to describe.“In the days after the massacre, a lot of politicians in Washington expressed their thoughts and prayers. People said this time would be different. Twenty little kids murdered in their classroom. A country where our children our 14 times more likely to be killed with a gun than kids in other countries like ours. How could Congress not act?“But since then, Congress has done something incredible: nothing at all.“Nearly three years ago, we launched Americans for Responsible Solutions because we think our country can do better – but only if our leaders act.“As Congress remains in the gun lobby’s grip, Republicans and Democrats in states around our country have come together to make our communities safer. Eight states have closed the loopholes that let dangerous people buy guns without a background check – no questions asked. Many have passed laws that protect families by helping keep guns out of the hands of abusers. It is progress – but not enough. “Each of those twenty kindergarteners and first graders at Sandy Hook was robbed of the opportunity to grow up. We will always remember them. And we must all honor their memories through action and through the fight for safer communities.”