January 04, 2016

Durbin Statement on President's Proposed Actions on Gun Violence

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after meeting with President Obama and other members of Congress to discuss ways to reduce gun violence in America:

   

We know this issue all too well in Illinois. There were 2,939 people shot in Chicago last year, and families and communities are suffering.  We’ve got to do something. I can understand why the American people are upset with Congress—the overwhelming majority of Americans support common sense reforms to our gun laws. But the majority in Congress refuses to pass reforms even to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, people who are mentally unstable, and those who are on terrorist watch lists. The President has a list of things he can do—it won’t solve all these problems by a long shot, but it moves us in the right direction.  I appreciate his efforts to do more to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people while ensuring that Second Amendment rights are protected.