Blumenthal & Murphy: Silence is Not Enough—the Time for Action is Now

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined Members of the Connecticut Congressional Delegation today in calling for movement on commonsense gun violence prevention during a National Day of Action on Gun Violence Prevention.

“What we have seen over the last two weeks is real progress and the vice-like grip of the NRA beginning to crack,” Blumenthal said. “The American people are rising up – we saw it during the House sit-in and during the Senate filibuster. We are seeing in today, in communities across Connecticut, and in the demands for change from Americans across the country. We have heard these voices, and we will heed their call: we will not go away and we will not give up.”

“In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history, Americans have risen up like never before to make their calls for commonsense gun reforms heard,” Murphy said. “Between the Senate filibuster, the House-sit in, last week’s vote on a bipartisan compromise, and today’s Day of Action, the last two weeks have been a watershed moment for the anti-gun violence movement. I commend all of the House members taking part in today’s Day of Action – they’re continuing to build momentum and demanding the change that 90% of Americans want.”

This morning, U.S. Representatives Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy joined gun violence prevention advocates and public health experts at UConn Health Center in Farmington for a “National Day of Action” press conference calling for action to prevent gun violence. Later today, U.S. Representative John B. Larson (D-CT) will also hold a Call to Action on Gun Violence Prevention at the Parker Memorial Community Center in the North End of Hartford.

Last week, more than 175 Democrats held an unprecedented sit-in on the Floor of the House of Representatives to demand a vote on commonsense gun violence prevention measures. House Democrats held the floor for nearly 26 hours—even after Republicans adjourned Congress. Blumenthal, Murphy, and many of their Senate colleagues visited the House Floor throughout the day to express their support.

The week prior, Murphy, Blumenthal, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led a nearly 15-hour filibuster on the Senate Floor to call for immediate Senate action on effective background checks and legislation to keep guns out of the hands of known or suspected terrorists. Throughout the day, they were joined by nearly forty of their Senate colleagues.

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