Durbin, Duckworth, Rep. Kelly To Introduce “Wear Orange” Resolution To Honor Hadiya Pendleton, Gun Violence Survivors

Durbin, Duckworth, Rep. Kelly To Introduce "Wear Orange" Resolution To Honor Hadiya Pendleton, Gun Violence Survivors

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) announced their "Wear Orange" resolution to designate June 5 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the entire month as National Gun Violence Awareness Month as gun violence often spikes when summer begins.

The resolution honors Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed in a Chicago park on January 29, 2013-just one week after she performed as a drum majorette in President Barack Obama's second inauguration. Her family and friends started the "Wear Orange" movement to raise awareness of the 46,000 people who die due to gun violence every year in the U.S. Hunters often wear orange to avoid being shot.

"Guns are now the number one killer of our nation's children. With one in five Americans having lost a loved one to gun violence, this is nothing short of an epidemic," Durbin said. "We are introducing this resolution in memory of Hadiya Pendleton, who was only 15 years old when she was senselessly shot and killed in Chicago. In honor of what would have been-should have been-her 29th birthday, I will proudly 'Wear Orange' as a sign of my dedication to finally putting an end to this public health crisis."

"I refuse to let our children grow up in a country that refuses to protect them from gun violence," said Duckworth. "To honor Hadiya Pendleton and too many other victims of gun violence, Congress must take action to help keep our children and our communities safe. I'll never stop working for commonsense gun safety reforms that can save lives and help prevent future tragedies-American families depend on it."

"I ran for office because I was sick and tired of watching Congress do nothing as children were killed by gun violence. Hadiya should've been safe at a park, but she was shot just months before I was sworn into office for the first time," said Kelly. "Since Hadiya's family and friends started Wear Orange, the color has become a beacon for action and advocacy. I've worked alongside her parents and other survivors to save lives from gun violence because the people closest to the pain are also closest to the solutions to end this crisis once and for all."

The "Wear Orange" resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-CT), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

Read the full text here.

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