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Our hearts are heavy for the families in Las Vegas who lost loved ones and for the survivors who are struggling with the pain and devastation brought on them. We must pray for them. We must also extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to the first responders for running towards the exploding evil that shattered a peaceful evening, and for providing life-saving first aid.

We are still learning about the coward that brought on this heinous and horrific mayhem. But, are his evil motives or background really relevant? Maybe the horror of Las Vegas was preventable, maybe it was not. We must try and there are actions Congress can and must take today.

A Do-Nothing Congress is Killing Us

The horrifying act of domestic terrorism in Las Vegas has, once again, resulted in another call to action. Reacting after something happens is not showing leadership. Rather, leadership is being proactive, getting out in front of potential harms, planning for the future, and doing what we can to prevent it from happening in the first place (same can be said for flood control spending vs. FEMA payments).

Regardless of the motives or insufficiencies that are linked to the horror in Las Vegas, there are actions that Congress can take right now to prevent future attacks and prevent greater loss of innocent lives.

Congress Must Respect Americans’ Demands for Gun Control Legislation
In 2016, the Republican Congress, including John Culberson, refused to keep guns out of the hands of anyone on the TSA no-fly list and anyone on the FBI’s terror watch list. The American people regardless of political party, age, or geography were demanding Congress take this modest action. Instead, John Culberson voted for an early recess thereby killing the legislation.

Instead, Congress Returned Guns to Mentally Incapacitated

On February 2, 2017, John Culberson voted for H.J. Res. 40, which nullified a Social Security Administration (SSA) regulation that provided the National Instant Criminal History Background Check System the names of individuals who SSA has determined to be mentally incapable of managing their own affairs. Donald Trump immediately signed it in to law.

And, Culberson Is Trying to Make It Easy to Buy Silencers
For 80 years Congress has strictly regulated and taxed the sale and registration of silencers. John Culberson is a co-signer of HR 367 which will eliminate this successful law, and will prohibit states from regulating, taxing or banning silencers (8 states ban them now).

There is no single legislative action that will prevent all acts of gun terror in America, but continuing to take no-action is literally killing Americans every day.

Only Solution: A New Congress

House Republicans and John Culberson have repeatedly shown their inability to balance the needs of Americans to live in a free and safe society against Second Amendment rights. Regulation of assault weapons, limiting access to armor piercing bullets, banning high capacity magazines, closing background check loopholes, or similar measures will never be considered unless we elect a new Congress prepared to strike a new balance. Our Constitution does protect the rights of responsible gun owners, but it also protects the freedom of everyone to attend a concert without fear.

“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are what we entrust our representatives on Capitol Hill to protect. The current Congress has failed us at every opportunity.

Time for a new Congress.