Everytown, Moms Demand Action Statement on President Biden’s Remarks on Need for Gun Safety Legislation

NEW YORK — Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements as President Joe Biden addressed the nation tonight on recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and far too many other communities — highlighting the urgency for Senate action on gun safety laws.

“The President was speaking on behalf of the vast majority of Americans when he said it’s time for the Senate to show up and take action to keep our families safe,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “The American people aren’t asking for much — they just want to go to the grocery store, send their kids to school, go to church, and walk the streets without getting shot down. If the Senate can’t meet that basic need, this country is in deep trouble.”

“A grassroots army of Moms Demand Action volunteers that is getting bigger and stronger by the minute has turned out across the country to join President Biden’s message tonight: Senators, don’t look away from this gun violence epidemic,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We’re encouraged to see real bipartisan negotiations going on in the Senate right now — but it isn’t about our hope that something gets done, it’s our expectation that lawmakers do the right thing.” 

This week, Moms Demand Action volunteers have been delivering petitions to the offices of key Senators across the country urging them to take action.

Tomorrow, June 3, marks the eighth annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the beginning of Wear Orange weekend. There are over 350 #WearOrange events scheduled in cities across the country, featuring Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, other gun safety advocates, elected leaders, community partners and more who will gather to honor the lives of those affected by gun violence, connect people with ways they can help to end gun violence in their communities, and call on lawmakers to take meaningful action to combat gun violence.

Last Friday, Everytown for Gun Safety released an outline of six things the Senate can do to take action to prevent more senseless shootings. There has been a groundswell of support for the Senate to take action, including hundreds of Moms Demand Action and Student Demand Action volunteers gathering outside the Capitol last Thursday morning following the shooting, more than 200 school walkouts nationwide organized by Students Demand Action on Thursday, and thousands of Texans showing up on Friday morning and protesting outside of the NRA convention.