Kaine Statement On Gun Violence Votes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding the votes today on gun violence measures:

“On the sixth anniversary of the horrible shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday, I took to the Senate floor to remember the 32 Hokies who lost their lives.  The tragedy happened after a dangerous young man illegally purchased weapons due to flaws in the background records check system. 

“I told the story of Liviu Librescu, a professor who lost his life barricading a classroom door with his body so that his students could escape to safety.  I hoped that Professor Librescu's example of selfless courage would embolden my colleagues to vote to reduce gun violence.

“Instead, a minority of the Senate chose to use the filibuster to block a 54-member majority from passing a reasonable expansion of our nation's criminal background record check system.   I'm very disappointed that we missed a chance to make our country safer.”

###