“Our hearts go out to those impacted by this senseless tragedy today in Sutherland Springs, Texas,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Whether in an LGBTQ club or a Texas church, gun violence is plaguing our country. Unless Congress acts, no community in America can be safe. Make no mistake about it, what happened in Sutherland Springs this morning could have easily happened in any other town across America. The murder of innocent people across our country should move Congress to realize there is an overwhelming and indisputable need for action. It's time for Congress to stand up to the NRA. We will continue to demand action until our lawmakers either hear us — or we have new lawmakers."

This tragedy comes just a few weeks after a mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead and more than 515 injured.  Last year, 49 lives — most of them Latinx — were taken in a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Yet, in recent weeks, Congress and the White House have only discussed modest potential steps to address the scourge of gun violence facing the country. Prior to the Las Vegas shooting, Congress was even considering legislation to allow silencers and transportation of concealed weapons across state lines.

HRC backs common-sense gun violence prevention policy measures and policies aimed at addressing the epidemic of hate that has fueled anti-LGBTQ-motivated murder, assault, and discrimination. For decades, LGBTQ people have been a target for bias-motivated violence, and easy access to deadly weapons has compounded this threat. Common-sense gun violence prevention measures endorsed by HRC include banning access to assault-style rifles, expanding background checks, and limiting the ability for suspected terrorists and those with a history of domestic abuse to access guns.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, more than 33,000 gun deaths happen every year.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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