Captain Mark Kelly Calls out President Trump For Misleading Statements on What He’s Done to Keep Students Safe from Gun Violence

August 16, 2018

August 16, 2018 — Today, Captain Mark Kelly, the co-founder of the gun safety organization Giffords, called out President Trump for misleading statements on what he’s done to keep students safe from gun violence as the new school year approaches.

The comments came before the start of a cabinet meeting where the President noted his role in the passage of the STOP School Violence Act and Fix NICS. While these bills provided resources to schools and made modest improvements to strengthen the background check system, they did not address gun violence. President Trump also pushed to “harden” schools and ensure that “qualified personnel” are armed, a measure opposed by parents and teachers alike.

Captain Mark Kelly, co-founder of Giffords:

“Donald Trump is wrong again. Our country faces a gun violence crisis that has left students afraid to return to classrooms this fall. There are policies we can pass today that would help save lives and keep our kids safe. These policies are backed by law enforcement and a majority of voters, but Trump has sided instead with the NRA, which funded his campaign, and blocked meaningful action on gun safety. “What has Trump done? He created a fake school safety commission that hasn’t produced anything to protect kids. And instead of working to keep guns out of dangerous hands, he talks about bringing more guns into our classrooms and turning schools into fortresses. But the solution to this country’s crisis of gun violence isn’t more guns and it’s not fewer doors, or other such nonsense ideas. The solution is for Congress to pass effective gun safety reform. In the absence of leadership from Trump, Mitch McConnell, and Paul Ryan, we will elect gun safety champions to stand up to the President and fight to pass effective gun laws.”

MEMO: Giffords policy recommendations to President Trump for addressing gun violence

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