Dem Newswire

Democrats Complete Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Breanna Edwards | Politico

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who was recently named as chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), announced the rest of the leadership team late Friday afternoon.

Thompson named 12 representatives of the House Democratic Caucus, who will join him as vice chairs. The task force will undertake ways of reducing and preventing gun violence, following the tragedy in Newtown, Conn.

The task force is expected to release a comprehensive set of policy proposals in early February.

Among the selected are lawmakers who know first-hand the effects of gun violence:

· Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.): Barber was then-Rep. Gabby Giffords’ (D-Ariz.) district director when a gunman opened fire at an event at which the congresswoman was speaking. Both Giffords and Barber were critically wounded in the attack.

· Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.): McCarthy’s husband was murdered and her son critically wounded after a 1993 shooting on the Long Island Railroad. Since then, McCarthy has been a champion for gun regulation, actively lobbying as an advocate for victims before deciding to run for Congress.

· Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.): Perlmutter’s districts have been subject to mass shootings. As a state senator, he represented the area surrounding Columbine High School, and as part of the House, he represents Aurora, where a gunman opened fire on the audience attending a Batman move in July.

· Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.): Speier was serving as legislative counsel for Rep. Leo Ryan in 1978 when Ryan was assassinated as Speier herself was shot five times at close range at the People’s Temple cult in Jonestown, Guyana.

Other vice chairs include lawmakers include Reps. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), Bill Enyart (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), Chaka Fattah (D- Pa.), Grace Napolitano (D- Calif.), David Price (D-N.C.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).

Source: politico.com