Survivors and parents of victims of the May mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, will testify before the House Oversight Committee next week to highlight the toll of gun violence, the committee announced Friday.
Why it matters: The hearing comes as Democrats, led by President Biden, are calling on Republicans in Congress to help pass new gun control legislation in response to the shootings.
- During a primetime address Thursday night, Biden specifically requested the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, expansions on background checks, raising the age limits to purchase semi-automatic rifles and red-flag laws.
- The May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde left 19 children and two teachers dead, while a shooting at a Buffalo supermarket left 10 people dead on May 14 and is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime.
What they're saying: “After 19 innocent children and two teachers lost their lives in Texas just ten days after the mass shooting in my home state of New York, I’m turning my anger into action," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), who chairs the committee, in a statement Friday.
- "Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes," she added. "It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives."
- "This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that."
The big picture: There have been recent bipartisan talks within the Senate on a legislative response to the shootings and indications that Republicans may be open to continuing those talks.
- However, congressional inaction and legislative failures have been the norm after mass shootings, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.
What's next: The hearing is scheduled for June 8 at 10am ET.
- It will include testimony from Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grade student at Robb Elementary School who survived the Uvalde school shooting by smearing herself in her friend’s blood and playing dead.
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