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It’s been one of those weeks. 14 days ago, a racist gunman went into a Buffalo supermarket and murdered 10 Black Americans. Now we have the massacre in Uvalde, TX—19 children and two teachers were slaughtered in an elementary school.

This shouldn't keep happening. 91% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans want Congress to act on gun safety, but legislation I helped pass in the House is collecting dust in the U.S. Senate as I type this. As our nation mourns, I want to be upfront with you about where I stand on gun safety.

Here’s where I am: 

• I cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban (HR 1808) to regulate assault weapons.
• I twice co-sponsored the Bipartisan Background Checks Act (HR 8) to ensure people with criminal records, violent pasts, and mental instability could not buy deadly firearms. 
• I strongly opposed the Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Act (HR 38) which would force states like New Jersey to honor concealed carry permits from states with lax gun laws.
• I cosponsored the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act (HR 2598) to ban firearm sales to a person subject to a court-issued gun violence prevention order.
• I cosponsored the Disarm Hate Act (HR 3929) to prevent a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor because of hate or bias in its commission, from obtaining a firearm.
• I cosponsored the Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act (HR 3947) to make it a crime to have a trigger crank, a bump-fire device, or any part that is designed to accelerate the rate of fire of a semi automatic rifle.
• I twice cosponsored the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act (HR 4057) to authorize the Department of Justice to deny the transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms to a known or suspected terrorist.
• I twice cosponsored the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act (HR 4240) to require states to implement plans to improve the submission of mental health and criminal history records to the national instant criminal background check system.
• I cosponsored the Ammunition Background Check Act (HR 5383) to establish new requirements and restrictions with respect to the sale and transfer of ammunition.
• I twice cosponsored the Untraceable Firearms Act (HR 6643) to ban the manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, or receipt of guns that lack a unique serial number (“ghost guns”).
• I cosponsored the Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act (HR 1279) to authorize the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to states, local governments, or gun dealers to conduct gun buyback programs.
• I cosponsored the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act (HR1236) to address extreme risk protection order laws. Extreme risk protection order laws, or red flag laws, generally allow certain individuals (e.g., law enforcement officers or family members) to petition a court for a temporary order that prohibits an at-risk individual from purchasing and possessing firearms.
• I cosponsored Jaime’s Law (HR 1705) to establish background check requirements for the sale and transfer of ammunition.
• I twice cosponsored the Keep Americans Safe Act (HR 1186) to establish a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device.
• I cosponsored the Enhanced Background Checks Act (HR 1446) to revise background check requirements applicable to proposed firearm transfers from a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a licensed gun dealer) to an unlicensed person.
• I cosponsored Ethan's Law (HR 748) to establish a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels.
• I twice cosponsored the Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act (HR 1477) to address recent developments in technology that have given rise to plastic guns that are undetectable to metal detectors or other detection devices.
• I introduced HRes 370 directing the House of Representatives to observe a moment of silence over gun violence, to be followed by a hearing to discuss the cause of the tragedy and how similar events might be prevented in the future.

You’ll note my frustration as you read this. I took an oath of office to, in part, ensure the safety and security of the American people. We must take steps to do just that. We can advance commonsense measures that reduce gun violence while protecting Second Amendment rights. We can keep guns out of the hands of criminals, domestic abusers, and domestic terrorists. Some of my colleagues just need the bravery to act.

I will continue praying for the families suffering across this country, and I will do everything I can to make our country a safer place to raise a child.