Chairman Aguilar: Thoughts and prayers are not enough. While Trump and Republicans seek to unravel the progress we have made, House Democrats remain committed to building on our achievements.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Mike Thompson and House Democrats to mark the four-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. You can read the transcript of the Chairman's remarks below.

CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: I want to thank all of the members of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, people like Jamie Raskin, Lucy McBath and Robin Kelly. This is all very personal to each one of us, but I want to specifically thank Mike Thompson for his leadership in Congress and for his leadership on this issue. He has helped lead House Democrats to devise sensible strategies to protect our communities. And as he mentioned, we're here today to honor an incredible accomplishment.

Four years ago, Democrats and Republicans gathered together in the wake of Uvalde, one of the worst mass school shootings our nation has experienced in United States history, to deliver real change. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Bill became the most significant piece of gun safety legislation to pass in nearly three decades. The bill strengthened background checks, improved mental health services and crisis intervention, as well as kept firearms out of the hands of dangerous people.

Like many of my colleagues, this legislation is personal to me as well. I was in Congress for just eleven months when a mass shooting happened in my community. I relied on the people standing behind me and other members of Congress who have been through mass shootings to help guide me, as I walked through the effects of the shooting with my community in San Bernardino, where fourteen people were killed and dozens more injured. More than a decade later, the pain and trauma from that day is still with families, survivors in our region.

And unfortunately, my story is not unique. Virtually every member of Congress has a story about a mass shooting. That's why I'm so thankful for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that has helped prevent countless tragedies like this. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. While Trump and Republicans seek to unravel the progress we have made, House Democrats remain committed to building on our achievements and to continue advancing commonsense legislation that Mike Thompson detailed. Those are the things that we will do to protect our communities if we're fortunate enough to be in the majority next year. I'm proud to have played a role in this bill and I'm honored to introduce someone who will be pivotal to the passage of gun safety legislation that helps protect our communities, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.

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