Just What We Need to Save Lives

President Obama has shown a steady stream of leadership on reducing gun violence in the days since the horrific mass murder in Newtown and he should be applauded for taking on a tough challenge – both emotionally and politically – in an effort to save lives in our nation.

He should be applauded for taking specific steps to unite the nation behind a holistic and reasonable plan to reduce gun violence in America while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens under the Second Amendment.

The task force he announced today, with its high-level membership and quick timeframe, is just what we need to finally make real progress in reducing gun violence – with over 30 Americans killed by gunfire every single day, the time for just talking has long passed.

I’m glad that he’s engaging our Education and Health secretaries, because we need to look at all aspects of our society in order to prevent the next massacre.

And I’m honored to be carrying, on behalf of the victims of gun violence everywhere, the bills in Congress that can accomplish a lot of the goals that President Obama talked about considering today.

That includes the Fix Gun Checks Act to strengthen our background check system and H.R. 308, a bill to ban high-capacity magazines. And in January, I’ll be introducing, with my colleague Ed Perlmutter, an updated assault weapons ban that will serve as the House companion to Senator Dianne Feinstein’s bill.

Earlier today in Washington I stood with the Democratic leadership of the House and my colleagues from my side of the aisle to call upon our Republican friends to join us in trying to reduce gun violence.

I’m grateful that President Obama is helping us by giving this critical issue the leadership it needs to get through a difficult political climate, especially in the House of Representatives where I serve. I look forward to working with President Obama, my colleagues in Congress and the American people to save lives in the country we all love.

Carolyn McCarthy is the representative of New York’s Fourth Congressional District. She was first elected in 1996.