(WSIL) -- Local lawmakers are reacting to the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas Tuesday that left 19 students and 2 adults dead.
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said "our country is sickened and outraged."
He went on to say, "These innocent kids were simply going to school. They had put on backpacks, said goodbye to their parents, and headed off for another day of learning and friendship. There were only two days left before summer break.And because of this maniac, at least 19 of those kids never made it home.
We pray fervently that in the midst of this nightmare of grief, our Heavenly Father will make manifest to these families his promise in Psalm 34 � that ‘the Lord is near to the brokenhearted.�"
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) also released a statement on the shooting and called for action in Congress.
"Today’s (Tuesday's) news is heartbreaking and tragic.Fourteen young lives and a teacher gone far too soon. My heart is with the families and friends of these lives lost.
I implore � beg � my Republican colleagues to join Democrats in finally making changes to our gun laws to help prevent Americans from re-living this gun tragedy far too often. We cannot continue to sit on our hands and allow innocent lives to be lost. Congress must act.”�
Another local lawmaker, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois)called for a suspension of the Senate’s filibuster rule.
“What happened in Texas today (Tuesday) is every parent's nightmare. I’m heartbroken for these families and angry as hell at Republicans� shameless inaction to save the lives of innocent children. We know how to stop these attacks from happening as often as they do. We know there will be another and another and another attack in the weeks and months ahead if we do nothing. And we know who is preventing action. The Senate should immediately—at a 50-vote threshold—vote on commonsense gun safety reforms that the American people have demanded for too long. For every victim of this tragedy and every tragedy before it, enough must be enough.�
