Maloney Hand-Delivers Letters on Gun Violence from Hudson Valley Students to Speaker Ryan
Following Shooting in Parkland Florida, Maloney Launched Campaign
to Encourage Students to Make Voices Heard
Received Over 200 Letters from Local Students
WASHINGTON —Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) delivered more than 200 letters on gun violence in schools from Hudson Valley students to House Speaker Paul Ryan. Rep. Maloney launched the campaign following the shooting in Parkland, Florida and the formation of a new student movement against gun violence. The campaign invited Hudson Valley students to voice their concerns, offer suggestions, and ask questions about the status of gun safety efforts in Congress.
“Students across the country are leading the national conversation on gun violence in our schools – their voices should be heard,” said Rep. Maloney. “I hope Speaker Ryan reads through these comments to better understand where our students are coming from.”
Rep. Maloney received more than 200 letters from students on both sides of the debate from each of the counties he represents: Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, and Westchester. Students ranged in age from 6th grade through seniors in college.
Rep. Maloney supports strong federal efforts to combat the gun violence epidemic, including: banning assault weapons, raising the purchasing age, improving the National Instant Background Check System (NICS), implementing universal background checks and closing the gun show loophole, as well as repealing the Dickey Amendment, which has prevented research on gun violence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A copy of Rep. Maloney’s letter to Speaker Ryan is available here and can be found below:
Speaker Ryan,
I write today to draw your attention to the hundreds of letters sent by students in my district who are concerned about gun violence in schools. These young people took the time to express their opinions, and I hope you will give them due consideration.
As the Majority continues to refuse to bring up legislation to tackle the gun violence epidemic, I ask you to consider the damaging impacts this has on people – especially students – across the country, including in my district in New York’s Hudson Valley. There is no doubt that millions of students nationwide have similar stories – including kids in your district.
Mr. Speaker, I hope you will take the time to read the personal stories of the students in my district who wrote to express their concerns and offer solutions. No one understands the issue of school gun violence quite as intimately as they do. If you really are committed to improving their safety and the safety of students in this country, you must take real, legislative action on the gun violence epidemic.
