Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 | 2 a.m.
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One year ago, at a country music festival, the single deadliest mass shooting in modern American history rocked Las Vegas. A night thousands had expected to be joyful turned tragic in mere minutes. Fifty-eight people were shot and killed, hundreds were injured and thousands of others were traumatized.
We, as a member of Congress representing Las Vegas and as a survivor of this shooting, understand the emotional and physical toll that horrific event has had on our community. We know it’s unacceptable, and we know it will take more work on our part, and on the part of lawmakers across the country, to prevent future tragedies.
No one should have to undergo four back surgeries in a row to recover from injuries sustained in a shooting. No one should have to relive the trauma of gun violence every day – in nightmares, in flashbacks or in therapy. And no one should have to worry about being shot at a concert, movie theater, elementary school, church, nightclub, or on the streets of their community. But Americans increasingly have such fears because gun violence is increasing and shooting victims and survivors are not adequately supported.
More than 22,000 concertgoers and people who were working at the Harvest Festival event still are not receiving the help they need one year after the shooting. To receive victim of crime funds, survivors must navigate complicated bureaucratic systems. They face delays and paperwork requirements that limit access to critical health services. And they are left to struggle with their trauma alone, increasing their risk of suicide. More should be done for the survivors of shootings – and more must be done across the board to prevent such shootings from happening in the first place.
What happened that night was – and still is – a terrifying tragedy. The frequency of shootings in this country, and our growing acceptance of their regularity, is terrifying. Every single day, 96 Americans are shot and killed, while hundreds more are wounded. Since Oct. 1, Congress has had 12 moments of silence for mass shooting victims.
Now the American people are making their voices heard and lawmakers across the country are responding to the public’s demands. For example, since the shooting, 11 states – led by both Republicans and Democrats – have banned or regulated bump stocks, devices that enable a semiautomatic firearm to mimic the firing speed of a machine gun, like those used by the Las Vegas gunman.
It’s not limited to bump stocks. Just months later, after the community of Parkland, Fla., experienced its own tragedy, millions of Americans, of all ages, took to the streets to demand action. Their activism helped push 18 states, including Oregon, Florida and South Dakota, to pass meaningful gun safety legislation.
At the federal level, less than a month after the horrific shooting in Las Vegas, several members of Congress and I introduced and cosponsored bipartisan legislation to close the bump stock loophole. These and other anti-gun violence measures have been blocked, at the bidding of the NRA, by Republican leadership that ignores the need for change.
We can – and must – do more. In just a few weeks, Americans will have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box by voting for “gun sense” champions up and down the ballot. They can also vote to support initiatives like Nevada’s ballot measure on background checks. You can start by registering to vote. Then talk to your family, friends and neighbors about the importance of electing gun sense candidates into office. Then turn out in November. It’s up to all of us to be a part of the solution.
The Oct. 1 shooting forever changed the lives of thousands who were simply enjoying an evening of music. But this November, we hold the power to forever change the lives of Americans across the country by electing representatives to enact common-sense gun safety solutions that are supported by the vast majority of Americans.
Rep. Dina Titus represents Nevada’s First Congressional District and is an original sponsor of the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act. Christine Caria was a social worker for Child Protective Services for 10 years in Reno. A survivor of the Las Vegas shooting, Christine is a member of the Nevada chapter of Moms Demand Action and Everytown Survivor Network, spokesperson with Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, and co-founded Route91Strong.org, a nonprofit offering resources to support gun violence victims and survivors.
