Distinguished guests, the president of the United States accompanied by the Vice President of the United States. Good afternoon, everyone. Please be seated. Good afternoon. I will start by thanking our President Joe Biden for his longstanding leadership in the fight to save lives from gun violence. I want to thank my husband the second gentleman of the United States and the extraordinary members of our administration, the members of congress, survivors, advocates and our incredible Young Leaders who raise their voice and demand change. So we are all gathered here today for a simple reason. We agreed that in a civil society, the people must be able to shop in a grocery store, walk down the street or sit peacefully in a classroom and be safe from gun violence. But instead our nation is being torn apart by the tragedy of it all. And torn apart by the fear and trauma that results from gun gun violence. I have met with students on College Campuses across our country. When i am there, every time i turned to the student and i make a request of them. And what i ask is please raise your hand if you have had an active shooter drill. While you were in elementary or middle school. Every time, every time a sea of hands goes up. Because in todays world on the first day of school, students learn the day of their teacher. They learn the location of their cubby and they learn how to quietly hide from an active shooter. They once told me i dont like going to fifth period. Why i asked. Because there is no closet. In our country today, one in five people have lost a Family Member to gun violence. Across our nation, every day about 120 americans are killed by a gun. While this violence impacts all communities, it does not do so equally. Black americans are 10 times more likely to be victims of gun violence and homicide. Latino americans twice as likely as a former courtroom prosecutor , i will tell you that i personally prosecuted homicide cases. I have seen with my own eyes what a bullet does to the human body. We cannot normalize any of this. These are our children, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers. As a former District Attorney and u. S. Senator and now Vice President of the United States, i have grieved with parents who have lost a child. I have comforted children who have been traumatized by losing a parent or sibling geared we owe it to them and to those living in fear to act without delay. On this issue, we do not have a moment to spare nor a life to spare. And heres the thing. They do exist. It is a false choice to suggest. Having to choose between supporting the Second Amendment or reasonable gun safety laws. That is a choice. President biden and i believe in the Second Amendment. We also know Common Sense Solutions are at hand. So i will close with just a couple points. First, President Biden and i continue to be deeply inspired by the students who are leading this movement. [applause] so many of whom are here. Second, in so many ways, we are then propelled by their work, by your work. And being propelled by what you are doing, we are expanding our work. We will use the full power of the federal government to strengthen the coalition of survivors and advocates and students and teachers and elected leaders. To save lives and fight for the right of all people to be safe from fear and to be able to live a life where they understand that they are supported in that desire and that right. And with that, i will now introduce a National Leader on this issue. Only 15 years old when he joined this movement. He is an organizer, he is an advocate, he has a Coalition Builder and he is the first gen z member of the United States congress. [cheering and applause] representative maxwell. It feels good to be part of the winning movement. Good afternoon and thank you Vice President harris for the amazing introduction. It is the honor of a lifetime. Submitting his legacy is one of the fiercest champions of gun violence prevention. I am congressman maxwell proudly representing Central Florida and the house of representatives. As the youngest member of the United States congress and first member of gen z, i am often asked what got me involved in this work and the answer is quite simple. I did not want to get shot in school. I was 15 years old when a shooter walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and murdered six children and six teachers. I went to school the next day with anxiety and fear. That my life would be taken, my friend life would be taken in my familys life would be taken by senseless gun violence. I was served as a National Organizing director for march from our lives a movement that inspired young people across the nation to demand safe communities. We came together. Every town. Sandy hook promise, bombs and action, Community Justice action fund and so many on the ground organizations that have been doing this work for decades. It is because of that steadfast passionate organizing that we are winning movement. We are winning movement doing very difficult work. [applause] a federal coordinated response on this issue today that phil and move it will become reality due to the leadership of President Biden and Vice President harris. [cheering and applauding] the president understands the issue especially for young people and marginalized communities as a matter of survival. The president is been fearless enough to protect the gun lobby federal government legislation passed in 30 years and the bipartisan paper communities act. [applause] this action comes from love we fight because we love you. Rihanna tailored to trade on martin, we fight because we love. We fight because we love because when you love somebody, you want them to live free of gun violence, thats what true freedom is. Want to see that freedom for every american to get the white house has been. Believe you speak joe biden wants to be and is power of young people. Today frustration is another piece of groundbreaking action to save lives, im proud to introduce the president of the United States of america, President Joe Biden. [cheering and applauding] in. [cheering and applauding] [cheering and applauding] thank you, thank you, thank you. Mom and dad, stand up. And young new contribution. [applause] you done a heckuva job. Powerful movement during a cause into reality. You are a big reason why im so optimistic about americas future. I remember i was young, we have something in common, i got elected in senate when i was 29 years old. I had to wait 17 days. Those 827 years ago. [laughter] members of the cabinet members of congress and relentless members, one of the members who couldnt be here today, an important member. Chris who together created a dedicated Gun Violence Prevention Office and since the tragedy, i remember everyone, every member and every family. I remember as in relieving, i said of course i will. I walked in the room and two of them started crying and they said we need help. We will help. I said what can i do . We need help. Help. We need help. Anyone who doesnt think these kinds of engagement have a permanent effect on children and many theyve never had a bullet touch them also understand his or hard and tough ones asking me, can i get them psychiatric help state and local law makers across the country and survive with us they want to know and maybe and want to be here to promote change and bring in all back. I think you will work here. You have courage. Because of all of you today, especially young people demand our nation those who ran for office and im proud to announce the first ever gun violence prevention. [applause] [applause] created by executive order, how important this issue is to me in this country is in here is why after every mass shooting we hear message never been too every one. Do something, please do something. Do something to prevent and families will never be the same. Communities overwhelmed by grief and trauma. Do something do something. My administration has been working relentlessly to do something. Today my administration is announcing dozens of executive action to reduce gun violence more than any other predecessors and they include everything from cracking down mark breaking up gun trafficking and so much more. Up next last year with your help, the bipartisan savers community, almost 30 years. Background checks, red flag laws and access to Mental Health services and so much more. Its an important first step. Once planned assault weapons in magazines and we are going to do it again. [applause] call of action. For so long, would never get any pumpkins to support but we did and for the first time in three decades weve overcome opposition and so many opposing common sense come legislation and we leave them. And we did it to bipartisan efforts. We are not stopping here and im not going to be quiet until we get it done. [applause] we need any shots in the magazine to own a gun. Also last time we established universal background checks, it is time. [applause] of course we push for congress to do more and save more lives, more quickly and thats why this gun violence prevention, drive and coordinate efforts to reduce gun violence in america and oversee by incredible Vice President who understands. [applause] no, really. Thats not hyperbole, its a fact. Shes been on the front lines her entire career as a prosecutor, attorney general and United States senate. This experience will be valuable. Stand up, please. [cheering and applauding] since sandy hook in 2012, she was 2012 served as director of the office. The office will have four primary responsibly. First, expedite the bipartisan savers Community Act and executive action already out. Were going to fully implement. Second, coordinate more support for survivors, families and communities including Mental Health care, Financial Assistance from of the same way of natural disaster. The same way. [applause] that helps folks recover. Shootings are the ultimate, ripping through communities. Identify new executive action within our Legal Authority to reduce gun violence. Fourth, expand our coalition of partners and states and cities across america because we do have partners and we need state and that will help and to strengthen our laws to give us more hope. To be clear, this will solve the entirety of the gun but together, they will save lives. [applause] its a sense of urgency today, i never thought i could say this in my whole career. Guns are the number one killer of children in america. Guns on the number one killer of children in america, the United States of america, more than Car Accidents and other diseases. In 2023 so far, more than 500 Mass Shootings in well over 30,000 deaths due to gun violence. Totally unacceptable. Its not who we are. We have to act now. Let me be clear, members of this act and elect new members of congress. [cheering and applauding] democrat or republican. There comes a time where our forces are so loud and clear that our efforts can no longer be stopped. We are reaching that, weve reached that today in my view. Gun violence is on the ballot and at the end of the day democrats, republicans, we all want our families to be safe. We all want to go to school, grocery stores, gyms, walls and movies, without anxiety. Let me close with this. The summer house in connecticut. For students who are here today, they stood and shared. They each came from a different background want different parts of the country and different shootings but they shared a common message summed up in just a few words, a deadly traumatic transference and action, a deadly price for it action. They make clear in all of you know too well, the people of our country, they spoke for an entire generation and will not be ignored, will not be silenced and i know progress is hard, ive been at this a long time, with done it before and we can do it again. Vice president harris is you as well, you are right. We are by your side. Were never going to give up, we are never going to forget, we will never get there unless we number. I know we will do this because i know you. Unbreakable spirits. The memory of their loved ones, you are building a movement that indoors and above all, never give up on one thing whenever news, hope, hope. Jill and i, our entire administration are more determined than ever that hope and inspiration that you continue to give us all. The lives weve lost, we can do this, we just have to keep going and keep the faith. Remember who we are. My grandpa would say keep the faith in my grandma would say spread it. Remember, we are United States of america and is nothing have tried to, god bless you all and may god affect our troops. These main is the president and Vice President depart. [applause]
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