The past several weeks have been especially challenging with mass shootings, such as the ones in Buffalo, NY as well as Uvalde, TX, and Tulsa, OK. I am angry and heartbroken, yet again. The murder of innocent children, hate crimes against the Black community, and mass shootings in hospitals are unconscionable, and I reject the notion that there is nothing we can do. No other country in the world experiences gun violence like we do here in the United States, and we need to do something to stop it.
-Tina Smith
Mass Shootings and the Need for Legislation to Prevent Gun Violence
As we mourn the loss of innocent lives in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa Oklahoma, it is evident that we need to enact commonsense gun safety legislation in this country.
The House has already passed a bill that would require a background check for every gun purchase—something almost 90% of Americans support. It’s time for the Senate to pass this important legislation and send it to the President’s desk.
There is no one law that will solve the mass shooting epidemic in this country, but we can save lives if we take action. It is time for us to make a change.
Leaked Supreme Court Draft That Would Overturn Roe v. Wade
As the only U.S. Senator to have worked at Planned Parenthood, I understand the need to protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her life, her health, and her body. For almost 50 years, Roe v. Wade has protected women’s freedom and autonomy to make private health care decisions free of government interference.
But now, the Supreme Court is poised to take the radical step of overturning Roe. Make no mistake – when Roe is overturned, many states will immediately enact drastic and cruel abortion bans that put women’s lives and health at risk. Some states are even moving to criminalize women who get abortions, and the doctors who provide them. An overwhelming majority of Americans believe in the right of women to make their own health care decisions, and I am committed to continuing this fight.
Access to Mental Health Care
Mental health care is health care. I have shared publicly that I have struggled with depression in the past, and am grateful that I had friends and family who supported me when I needed them. Most of all, I am lucky that I had access to resources that helped me get better.
That’s not the case for many Americans, and that’s something I’m working on fixing. I will continue to push for change, and have several bills that would address the lack of access to mental health care services across the country. I am hopeful that substantive mental health legislation will move forward soon.
There is no magic cure for depression and mental health problems. But we can make progress, and help more people get help and support, and that’s what matters.
English