WASHINGTON - Following the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, that killed at least 59 people and injured more than 500, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) challenged his Senate colleagues to not just be casual observers of gun violence, but to do their job and pass laws that make America safer. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called on Congress to pass a universal background checks bill and commonsense gun laws to help prevent the next mass shooting.

“Gun violence is a public health crisis. There is no single law or policy that would prevent every tragic shooting, but let’s start working together to do something,” said Durbin. “We can’t stop the shootings that have already happened in Las Vegas, Chicago, Roseburg, Oregon, and across the nation. We failed to respond in time for those victims and their families. But if we work together, we can stop shootings in the future. That is something we should all strive to do. We must do all that we can to spare families the unimaginable pain that so many in Las Vegas are feeling in the aftermath of this horrible tragedy.”

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Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor are available here.

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