[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 116 (Thursday, July 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





            REFLECTING ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH 2023

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HALEY M. STEVENS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 6, 2023

  Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to look 
back on Gun Violence Prevention Month. During this time of mourning and 
remembrance, I have had near constant nightmarish images in mind. 
Images of human carnage in the aftermath of shootings involving 
military-style assault weapons like the ones we now witness on a 
regular, predictable basis.
  Families are unable to simply run errands on the weekends or interact 
with their neighbors without fear of losing their lives.
  And yet, most of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
tolerate this uniquely American carnage without hesitation.
  We know that the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban was effective at reducing 
crime and getting these military-style weapons off our streets.
  And we know that after the ban was dropped, between 2015 and 2022, 
mass shootings where an assault weapon was used accounted for a third 
of all mass shooting deaths and more than 80 percent of all injuries.
  AR-15s and other assault weapons are the tool of choice by gunmen in 
nearly all of the 10 deadliest mass shootings since 2015, including the 
gunman in Uvalde, Texas, who shot and killed 19 children and 2 teachers 
in their elementary school.
  This is a crisis of law and order. We must return safety to our 
streets.
  Gun violence leaves a mark on each individual and community it 
impacts, and it spares none of our constituents. It also spares none of 
our minds these days as we await news of the next atrocity.
  May we find the political courage to do better for you. For our brave 
first responders and law enforcement officers. For our kids. For our 
devastated communities across this nation.
  By using our power as legislators, we can create a safer society 
where individuals can exercise their rights responsibly, while also 
curbing the senseless loss of innocent lives. It's time to prioritize 
human lives over political divisions and enact the change that our 
communities so desperately need.

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