Republican Congressman Lance Gooden of Texas is pointing to Illinois as an example of how ineffective he thinks gun control legislation just for the sake of taking action can be.
“61 people were shot and 10 were killed in Chicago last weekend,” Gooden recently posted on Twitter. “0 senators pushing gun control have asked Lori Lightfoot how well it’s working out for her city.”
Gooden is voicing his history lesson as part of his pushback to legislation that recently advanced in the U.S. Senate that seeks to enact stricter gun laws. As part of his argument, he highlights how Chicago with all its strict gun laws still suffers from a massive gun violence problem.
The so-called Safer Communities Act recently advanced in the U.S. Senate by a 64-34 vote and could soon be headed to the House for a vote. According to Everytown, the bill would enhance background checks, fund state red flag laws, establish federal laws prohibiting gun trafficking and straw purchases, fund violence intervention programs and mental health services, and fund safety programs at schools.
In Chicago, NBC reports as of June 19, there had been 282 murders and 1,148 shooting incidents reported across the city this year. In 2021, nearly 800 homicides were committed in the city, the most since 1996. According to Police Supt. David Brown most of the killings stemmed from gang violence, with Brown adding the city also experienced 3,561 shooting incidents in 2021.
Through it all, Lightfoot continues to insist she’s all in when it comes to the Safer Communities Act and feels the Senate is on the right track in advancing such legislation.
"Our country is best when our leaders come together and act on behalf of all Americans,” she said in a statement. “I commend the bipartisan group of U.S. Senators who are bold enough to stand up to the gun lobby and take meaningful action to reduce gun violence in our communities. For far too long, the rhetoric surrounding the gun debate has been dominated by excessive fearmongering by extremists and their sympathizers, which has led to decades of legislative inaction. Because of that inaction, we have witnessed people who do not value the sanctity of life take advantage of the ease of access to guns and senselessly take the lives of thousands of Americans in schools, churches, grocery stores, theaters, and countless other places where they should have been safe.”
Lightfoot said she is hoping to see lawmakers in Washington take immediate action.
“Enough is enough,” she added. “I urge the Senate and House of Representatives to quickly pass this legislation, and I remain hopeful that this is the first step to additional common-sense gun reforms.”
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