Mid Valley Reporter

On May 24, 2023, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-Tigard) issued the following statement to mark one year since the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas:

“One year ago, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas became the site of one of the most horrific acts of violence in American history. Nineteen precious young lives and two courageous teachers were stolen from us by an eighteen-year-old who legally purchased an AR-15 style weapon with the intent to murder other human beings. In the 365 days since, lawmakers in statehouses and in Congress have failed to pass the kind of sweeping, meaningful reform that could have prevented this awful tragedy. The unwillingness by some members of the Republican party to stand up to the gun lobby is a betrayal to the families torn apart by this massacre, and to the countless others impacted by the seemingly endless cycle of mass shootings. I refuse to accept such violence as normal – because it’s not. And we have the power to act. We can raise the minimum age to purchase assault-style weapons. We can strengthen background checks and red flag laws. We can secure our schools and invest in mental health care. We can do more to prevent future tragedies – and we must. I’m holding the entire Uvalde community in my heart now.”

Original source can be found here.