INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today issued the following statement by Chairman Mike Schmuhl after the U.S. House passed the Protecting Our Kids Act, gun safety legislation that would help save our children’s lives and aimed to prevent mass shootings in Indiana and across the country: 

“While Indiana Democrats support the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership, we also recognize that our country has a problem with families losing children and loved ones unnecessarily to gun violence. Sandy Hook. Pulse. Las Vegas. Parkland. Indianapolis. Buffalo. Uvalde. Some of the most alarming and heartbreaking mass shootings that have occurred in the United States have happened in the last decade. This set of facts is exactly why Indiana Democrats like André Carson and Frank Mrvan took action and supported the Protecting Our Kids Act and the opportunity to restore some much-needed trust in our government. 

Indiana Democrats want to be clear: Supporting gun safety legislation like raising the age limit on semi automatic rifles and safe storage requirements protect and honor the Second Amendment. These gun safety measures within The Protecting Our Kids Act are not only common sense but have broad support from the American public. And the best part, these measures are the right step forward to end this epidemic of gun violence and will help parents breathe a little easier whenever they drop their kids off at school. 

Carson and Mrvan delivered once again because they want to create a better future for Hoosier families. And unfortunately, voters saw yet again that we have an Indiana Republican Party that puts its national partisanship and relationship with the gun lobby ahead of our lives – including those of our children. Their actions again show they would rather collect their gun lobby campaign contributions in place of addressing this vital kitchen-table issue affecting Hoosier families. Mass shootings will continue in America until Indiana Republicans start listening to a majority of voters. Their election-year ‘NO’ vote is an endorsement of the violence we’re going to see in the future. Democrats will campaign on this issue until something gets done.” 

– Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party

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