“We know we can reduce gun violence and we have a moral and ethical obligation to do so. President Obama’s actions are important steps forward to address the root causes of this scourge by improving data sharing, more effectively implementing current law, and advancing gun safety technology. His new actions follow the will of Washington citizens who, in 2014, also recognized the need for a cohesive background check system. Background checks help ensure that people who, by law, should not have firearms do not. They make our state and our nation a safer place. We must continue to examine our systems and laws to make sure they’re effective and I applaud the President’s efforts to do this at the federal level.
“I am also heartened by the President’s proposal to invest more in mental health care like we have done here in Washington state. While we still struggle to fund the comprehensive behavioral health care system we need, like the rest of the nation, we know first-hand the importance of services for those in crisis to combat suicide and violence against others.”