Bergen Moms Join Gottheimer To Push Senate On Gun Control

RIVER EDGE, NJ — At her fourth grader's end-of-the-school-year talent show last night, Larisa Mendez Downes felt tears welling up in her eyes. Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, she said, she has not been able to go to any of her child's school concerts without crying.

"I can't get through of any of the performances without thinking about the parents who won't see their kids sing and dance anymore, who have to live through the horror of knowing their children died terrified," said Downes, who is also the public affairs and advocacy manager for gun safety group Moms Demand Action.

Downes, of Fair Lawn, shared these opening remarks at a press conference on Friday held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents New Jersey's District 5, at Veteran's Memorial Park in River Edge.

In sight of children playing in the park, Gottheimer announced the passing of a package of gun control legislation in the House, which he supported, and said he is working across the aisle with senators to send the "commonsense" legislation to the president's desk.

"Our kids deserve better. We deserve better, and our senators have the basic responsibility to ensure that it happens. So, do your job senators. Make it happen. Don't look away now," Downes said.

In his announcement, Gottheimer mentioned the fact that there have been 27 school shootings this year alone, a statistic confirmed by EducationWeek.

"How many horrific school shootings is it going to take for us to come together to make change?" Gottheimer said, referring specifically to the Uvalde school shooting in May that left 19 students and two adults dead. "Time is up, and it has been for a long time. We owe it to our children and to our families."

The gun bills would, in effect, Gottheimer said, raise the minimum age to buy a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, ban the sale and possession of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds, establish new federal offenses for gun trafficking and put new rules in place that dictate proper at-home gun storage.

"These are all reasonable, commonsense steps that will protect children and families and save lives," Gottheimer said. "It is time for the light to overcome the darkness."