Biden, Harris Call for Gun Reforms to ‘Honor’ Sandy Hook Victims

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Monday called for “common sense” gun reforms in honor of the eight-year anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary that killed 20 children and six adults.

Biden, who was vice president when the shooting occurred in 2012, called it the “saddest day we had in the White House.”

The president-elect said in a statement that he remains in awe of the “grandparents, parents, siblings, children, spouses, and fellow broken and healing hearts of Sandy Hook.”

“I have heard from and watched as so many of you turned pain into purpose, working to change our laws and our culture around gun violence and how we protect and nurture our children,” he said.

He praised those who became activists in the wake of the shooting, saying they “helped us forge a consensus that gun violence is a national health crisis and we need to address its total cost to fully heal families, communities, and our nation.”

“Eight years later, there have been plenty of thoughts and prayers, but we know that is not enough,” Biden said. “Together with you and millions of our fellow Americans of every background all across our nation, we will fight to end this scourge on our society and enact common sense reforms that are supported by a majority of Americans and that will save countless lives.”

In a tweet Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called for gun reform to “honor” the victims of the shooting.

“To honor the lives lost in this terrible tragedy, it’s past time we implement common-sense gun safety reforms to keep our children safe,” she said.

Since the Sandy Hook shooting — which was the second-deadliest school shooting and the fourth-deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history — more than 20 state legislatures have expanded background check requirements on some types of firearms, according to The Hill.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.,) said in a tweet that the victims should be honored with “positive action” and to “redouble efforts against gun violence under a new administration.”

“We mark this painful 8th anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook with renewed resolve—to honor the beautiful lives lost with positive action & redouble efforts against gun violence under a new administration,” he wrote.

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