WEBVTT 00:04.210 --> 00:07.469 Hello everyone . My name , my name is 00:07.550 --> 00:10.090 Jovana mcdowell . I'm from Atlanta , 00:10.100 --> 00:10.850 Georgia . 00:14.329 --> 00:17.909 I'm a proud navy mother , an army 00:17.920 --> 00:21.860 wife , a woman of faith and a moms 00:21.870 --> 00:23.659 demand action volunteer . 00:29.479 --> 00:33.419 On March the 7th 2016 , we celebrate 00:33.430 --> 00:36.659 celebrated my son Jan's 14th birthday . 00:37.020 --> 00:39.419 Jawan was truly something to celebrate . 00:39.610 --> 00:43.569 He was caring , sweet and well mannered , 00:44.080 --> 00:47.740 something I like to take credit for . I 00:47.750 --> 00:51.069 often called him bud because he was my 00:51.080 --> 00:54.630 Rosebud , a Rosebud signifies beauty 00:54.700 --> 00:58.040 and purity . But on April the 7th 00:58.049 --> 01:01.389 2016 , 1 month after his 01:01.400 --> 01:04.709 birthday , my beautiful bud . Juwan was 01:04.720 --> 01:07.589 shot and killed by another team playing 01:07.599 --> 01:11.209 with the unsecured firearm . I never 01:11.220 --> 01:14.510 imagined when I spoke with my child on 01:14.519 --> 01:17.449 the phone just hours before . It would 01:17.459 --> 01:19.570 be the last time that I would hear my 01:19.570 --> 01:23.139 baby's voice as adults . We're 01:23.150 --> 01:25.220 responsible for keeping our Children 01:25.230 --> 01:29.160 safe and that's why I am here today . 01:36.599 --> 01:40.339 No parent should ever have to get the 01:40.349 --> 01:42.405 phone call that their child has been 01:42.405 --> 01:45.589 shot and killed . No young person 01:45.599 --> 01:48.489 should ever have to grow in fear of 01:48.500 --> 01:51.190 being shot and killed . None of us 01:51.199 --> 01:54.889 deserve to live like this . But today 01:55.110 --> 01:58.510 I feel hopeful . It means everything to 01:58.519 --> 02:01.389 me to know that I have a president who 02:01.400 --> 02:03.529 understands the importance of 02:03.540 --> 02:05.580 preventing what happened to me from 02:05.589 --> 02:06.830 happening to others . 02:14.089 --> 02:16.860 His leadership on gun safety honors 02:16.869 --> 02:19.770 Jawan and the countless people who have 02:19.779 --> 02:22.001 been taken by senseless gun violence in 02:22.001 --> 02:24.600 this country . We last shared a stage 02:24.610 --> 02:28.119 together at an every town forum in 2019 . 02:28.410 --> 02:31.199 And I can say today standing here right 02:31.210 --> 02:34.460 now , he stood true to his word on the 02:34.470 --> 02:37.089 urgency of creating a safer future for 02:37.100 --> 02:39.949 families like mine and yours 02:43.759 --> 02:46.990 and all across the country . And his 02:47.000 --> 02:50.139 lifelong dedication to a safer America 02:50.350 --> 02:53.149 means that together we are working to 02:53.160 --> 02:55.729 protect our families and communities 02:55.740 --> 02:58.729 from preventable pain and tragedy . I 02:58.740 --> 03:02.000 am proud to stand with him and it's now 03:02.009 --> 03:04.839 my greatest honor to introduce him . 03:05.130 --> 03:07.539 Ladies and gentlemen , the president of 03:07.550 --> 03:09.710 the United States , Joe Biden . 03:36.779 --> 03:37.509 Thank you . 03:45.429 --> 03:46.540 Fact , you factor . 03:50.070 --> 03:53.380 Thank you . Thank you . Please have a 03:53.389 --> 03:57.320 seat Joe on here . I 03:57.330 --> 03:59.108 know from experience , it takes 03:59.108 --> 04:01.274 extraordinary courage for you to stand 04:01.274 --> 04:03.386 up here and retell your son's story . 04:03.386 --> 04:05.570 Many of you who have lost someone to 04:05.580 --> 04:08.050 gun violence . There's been a passion 04:08.059 --> 04:10.699 of mine for a long , long time . It's a 04:10.710 --> 04:13.059 reason . Way back a long time ago , I 04:13.070 --> 04:15.403 authored the Violence Against Women Act , 04:15.403 --> 04:17.514 which no one thought made any sense . 04:18.279 --> 04:20.519 At the time , we had a lot of trouble 04:20.529 --> 04:22.640 getting people to think we can make a 04:22.640 --> 04:24.862 difference . But the fact of the matter 04:24.862 --> 04:26.973 is I remember , well , when you first 04:26.973 --> 04:29.420 started it with me , this extraordinary 04:29.429 --> 04:32.709 courage , you know , through your words , 04:32.720 --> 04:35.059 you help ensure that your son and all 04:35.070 --> 04:37.149 the victims of gun violence are not 04:37.160 --> 04:39.160 forgotten . They didn't die in vain 04:39.570 --> 04:42.380 through your love to help prevent the 04:42.390 --> 04:44.980 next tragedy that saves lives and 04:44.989 --> 04:47.267 through your actions , you remember us , 04:47.267 --> 04:49.679 we'll never let go . One thing that we 04:49.690 --> 04:51.857 must never , never lose . And I mean , 04:51.857 --> 04:53.912 this , I know it's hard because I've 04:53.912 --> 04:56.023 gotten those phone calls too saying I 04:56.023 --> 04:58.079 lost a son , a daughter , a wife . I 04:58.079 --> 05:00.246 know what it's like . But guess what ? 05:00.246 --> 05:02.790 Never give up on . Hope . Hope , hope , 05:02.880 --> 05:03.880 hope 05:11.750 --> 05:13.861 I give you my word . I know what that 05:13.861 --> 05:15.806 feels . That black hole . When you 05:15.806 --> 05:18.028 receive that phone call , it seems like 05:18.028 --> 05:20.028 your black hole in your chest . You 05:20.028 --> 05:22.194 being sucked into it . Just showing up 05:22.194 --> 05:24.306 here . All the work you've done takes 05:24.306 --> 05:26.472 some courage because it reminds you of 05:26.472 --> 05:28.694 the moment you got that phone call , it 05:28.694 --> 05:30.972 reminds you no matter how long it goes , 05:30.972 --> 05:33.028 I tell you it just , it's hard . But 05:33.029 --> 05:35.251 you're so , you're , you're making such 05:35.251 --> 05:37.473 a difference . The main reason I'm here 05:37.473 --> 05:39.640 to say , I mean it in the bottom of my 05:39.640 --> 05:42.260 heart . But 05:47.100 --> 05:49.322 no , no , no , no , no , no , no , no , 05:49.322 --> 05:53.179 no , no , no , no , no , no , 05:53.190 --> 05:53.549 no 05:58.619 --> 05:59.339 folks , 06:02.380 --> 06:05.869 folks , it's ok . Look , 06:07.820 --> 06:10.042 they care , innocent Children have been 06:10.042 --> 06:11.809 lost . They make a point . 06:14.709 --> 06:18.649 Come on now . Driver , 06:24.119 --> 06:26.549 folks to every town and all the leaders 06:26.559 --> 06:28.670 and Avos here today . I want to thank 06:28.670 --> 06:30.726 you for the dedication to this vital 06:30.726 --> 06:32.448 issue you've shown and all the 06:32.448 --> 06:34.615 survivors , veterans , families , moms 06:34.615 --> 06:36.837 have turned their pain and your purpose 06:36.837 --> 06:38.779 into the laws . You and you're 06:38.790 --> 06:41.739 determined to , to not focus on your 06:41.750 --> 06:44.239 anger but on what you can do . Look , 06:44.250 --> 06:46.989 folks , you've held power movement that 06:47.000 --> 06:49.056 is turning this cause into reality , 06:49.089 --> 06:51.559 especially young people who demanded 06:51.570 --> 06:53.626 our nation do better to protect us . 06:53.626 --> 06:56.630 All who protested , who organized , who 06:56.640 --> 07:00.190 voted , who ran for all of us and yes , 07:00.200 --> 07:01.950 who march for their lives . 07:05.239 --> 07:08.380 From my perspective today is about 07:08.390 --> 07:11.019 celebrating you . You're the reason I'm 07:11.029 --> 07:13.140 so optimistic about the future of our 07:13.140 --> 07:15.418 country . And I mean that in two weeks , 07:15.418 --> 07:17.585 we will mark the second anniversary of 07:17.585 --> 07:19.751 the bipartisan Safer Communities Act . 07:24.299 --> 07:26.355 It's the most significant , it's the 07:26.355 --> 07:28.355 most significant gun legislation in 07:28.355 --> 07:30.720 nearly 30 years . We passed it only 07:30.730 --> 07:32.841 because you go out and work like hell 07:32.841 --> 07:35.109 to get it done . May have the idea , 07:35.119 --> 07:37.175 but you got it made , you've made it 07:37.175 --> 07:39.341 happen . It was designed to reduce gun 07:39.341 --> 07:41.397 violence and save lives . And I'm so 07:41.397 --> 07:43.563 proud of the tremendous progress we've 07:43.563 --> 07:45.675 made since then . You know , the year 07:45.675 --> 07:47.786 before I came to the presidency , the 07:47.786 --> 07:50.008 murder rate was the highest increase on 07:50.008 --> 07:52.230 record . Last year , we saw the largest 07:52.230 --> 07:54.063 decrease of murder in history of 07:54.063 --> 07:57.850 America and those rates are 07:57.859 --> 07:59.970 continuing to fall faster . Than ever 07:59.970 --> 08:02.190 last year . We also saw one of the 08:02.200 --> 08:04.256 lowest rates of all violent crime in 08:04.256 --> 08:06.529 nearly 50 years , murder , rape , 08:06.540 --> 08:08.707 aggravated assault robbery all dropped 08:08.707 --> 08:10.970 sharply along with burglary and 08:10.980 --> 08:14.529 properties were gone . This matters so 08:14.540 --> 08:16.707 much of this progress is because , and 08:16.707 --> 08:18.762 I'm not just trying to be solicitous 08:18.762 --> 08:20.984 because of you don't underestimate what 08:20.984 --> 08:23.151 you've done . It's amazing what you've 08:23.151 --> 08:25.151 done . You changed people's minds , 08:25.151 --> 08:27.151 your neighbors , your friends , the 08:27.151 --> 08:29.096 folks down at the restaurant , the 08:29.096 --> 08:31.262 folks at the grocery store through the 08:31.262 --> 08:33.318 American rescue plan , I was able to 08:33.318 --> 08:35.040 invest $15 billion the largest 08:35.040 --> 08:37.151 investment ever to reduce crime . And 08:37.151 --> 08:39.151 we build on that progress with your 08:39.151 --> 08:39.020 help . The B 08:46.169 --> 08:48.039 through the bipartisan Safer 08:48.049 --> 08:50.940 Communities Act . And here's how first 08:51.289 --> 08:53.233 the act's helping reduce community 08:53.233 --> 08:55.233 violence and domestic violence . It 08:55.233 --> 08:57.559 invests $250 million in violence 08:57.570 --> 08:59.626 intervention programs all across the 08:59.626 --> 09:02.190 country . People are now . 09:04.239 --> 09:06.406 My daughter is a social worker working 09:06.406 --> 09:08.628 in violence against women . What people 09:08.628 --> 09:10.795 don't realize is these things matter , 09:10.795 --> 09:12.906 they change , they change attitudes . 09:13.000 --> 09:15.222 We've already funded nearly 80 programs 09:15.222 --> 09:17.179 in county . We also make gun 09:17.190 --> 09:19.134 trafficking and straw purchases of 09:19.134 --> 09:21.357 federal crime for the first time giving 09:21.357 --> 09:23.301 prosecutors a legal tool to charge 09:23.301 --> 09:25.412 traffickers and hold them accountable 09:25.412 --> 09:27.579 for the more severe penalties that are 09:27.579 --> 09:26.609 available . 09:31.330 --> 09:34.030 Additionally , the law strengthens 09:34.039 --> 09:36.206 background checks for anyone under the 09:36.206 --> 09:38.479 age of 21 trying to purchase a firearm 09:38.669 --> 09:40.669 and it's about time there's more we 09:40.669 --> 09:42.613 have to do there . It's a big deal 09:42.820 --> 09:46.119 since the law was passed and implement 09:46.130 --> 09:48.359 it . The FBI stopped more than 700 09:48.369 --> 09:50.591 sales of firearms for individuals under 09:50.591 --> 09:52.890 the age of 21 and about 20,000 09:52.900 --> 09:54.900 unlicensed firearms dealers are now 09:54.900 --> 09:56.844 required to become licensed to run 09:56.844 --> 09:57.844 background checks 10:00.849 --> 10:02.960 which will keep guns out of dangerous 10:02.960 --> 10:06.280 hands . Second , the act help stops 10:06.289 --> 10:09.760 mass shootings provides $750 million a 10:09.770 --> 10:12.340 state to , to states to implement the 10:12.349 --> 10:14.919 crisis interventions like red flag laws , 10:14.929 --> 10:17.096 the temporary remove firearms of those 10:17.096 --> 10:20.090 who endanger themselves and others . It 10:20.099 --> 10:23.809 also gives $1.3 10:23.820 --> 10:26.159 billion to thousands of schools across 10:26.169 --> 10:28.169 the country to build safer learning 10:28.169 --> 10:30.840 environments , including updating 10:30.849 --> 10:32.793 safety plans , installing security 10:32.793 --> 10:34.627 equipment , hiring mental health 10:34.627 --> 10:36.516 professionals and school resource 10:36.516 --> 10:36.010 officers . 10:44.419 --> 10:46.586 I'm married to a full time teacher . I 10:46.586 --> 10:50.409 get it as 10:50.419 --> 10:52.469 well as violent as well as violent 10:52.479 --> 10:54.849 intervention teams . Folks look . Third , 10:55.190 --> 10:58.039 the act invests over $1 billion . The 10:58.049 --> 11:00.200 largest one time investment ever in 11:00.210 --> 11:02.377 mental health , youth mental health in 11:02.377 --> 11:03.377 our schools 11:07.369 --> 11:09.425 help them deal with grief and trauma 11:09.425 --> 11:11.369 resulting in gun violence . I've 11:11.380 --> 11:13.547 attended too many mass shooting . I've 11:13.547 --> 11:15.769 gone to too many schools across America 11:15.769 --> 11:17.991 and stood there and looked at the faces 11:17.991 --> 11:20.158 of those young Children who were mated 11:20.158 --> 11:22.324 and look at all the families that lost 11:22.324 --> 11:24.359 somebody . It's tragic but it needs 11:24.369 --> 11:26.840 help . They need help to get through it . 11:27.390 --> 11:30.229 It includes an additional 14,000 mental 11:30.239 --> 11:32.183 profess health professionals to be 11:32.183 --> 11:34.183 hired and trained in our schools to 11:34.183 --> 11:36.350 work in our schools full time . That's 11:36.350 --> 11:37.169 14,000 more 11:44.270 --> 11:46.750 and over 100 and 70,000 Americans 11:46.760 --> 11:48.982 across the country have been trained to 11:48.982 --> 11:50.871 identify when someone is having a 11:50.871 --> 11:53.093 mental health crisis to connect them to 11:53.093 --> 11:55.204 the help they need . By the way , one 11:55.204 --> 11:57.093 of the reasons I wrote the latest 11:57.093 --> 12:00.010 veterans bill was because more veterans 12:00.159 --> 12:02.530 and more active duties , personnel are 12:02.539 --> 12:04.761 dying of suicide than any combat zone . 12:06.599 --> 12:10.460 It matters , folks . 12:10.469 --> 12:12.469 This historic law is already saving 12:12.469 --> 12:14.919 lives , but there's still so much more 12:14.929 --> 12:17.040 to do to maximize the benefits of the 12:17.040 --> 12:18.985 bipartisan Safer Communities Act . 12:18.985 --> 12:21.299 That's why last September I established 12:21.309 --> 12:23.365 the first ever White House Office of 12:23.369 --> 12:24.813 Gun Violence Prevention . 12:35.099 --> 12:36.099 I made it , 12:41.619 --> 12:43.859 we got first rate professionals there 12:44.239 --> 12:46.479 and overseen by my incredible vice 12:46.489 --> 12:47.190 president . 12:52.270 --> 12:54.381 It was a Freddie fierce prosecutor as 12:54.381 --> 12:57.080 well to drive and coordinate government 12:57.090 --> 12:59.146 in a nationwide effort to reduce gun 12:59.146 --> 13:01.201 violence in America . That's what we 13:01.201 --> 13:03.201 did . And to send a clear , a clear 13:03.201 --> 13:05.368 message about how important this issue 13:05.368 --> 13:07.368 is to me , to you and to the entire 13:07.368 --> 13:08.368 country . Folks , 13:12.710 --> 13:14.932 you're changing the nation , you really 13:14.932 --> 13:17.710 are . You're changing the nation . It 13:17.719 --> 13:19.663 builds upon the dozen of executive 13:19.663 --> 13:21.775 actions . My administration has taken 13:21.775 --> 13:23.997 to reduce gun violence more than any of 13:23.997 --> 13:26.219 my predecessors and I suspect more than 13:26.219 --> 13:28.386 all of them combined . Everything from 13:28.386 --> 13:30.275 cracking down on ghost guns , gun 13:30.275 --> 13:32.219 trafficking . So much more folks , 13:32.219 --> 13:34.729 we're not stopping there . It's time 13:34.739 --> 13:37.140 once again to do what I did when I was 13:37.150 --> 13:39.809 a senator ban assault weapons . 14:02.830 --> 14:06.320 Thank you . Who in God's 14:06.330 --> 14:09.140 name needs a magazine which could hold 14:09.150 --> 14:12.340 200 shells . Nobody . That's right . I 14:12.349 --> 14:14.516 remember when I was campaigning when I 14:14.516 --> 14:16.405 was a senator going through the , 14:16.405 --> 14:18.293 through , through the wetlands of 14:18.293 --> 14:20.516 Delaware to meet all the people who are 14:20.516 --> 14:22.682 most upset with me , the fishermen and 14:22.682 --> 14:24.793 the hunters . And I came across a guy 14:24.793 --> 14:24.330 who was fishing and he said , you want 14:24.340 --> 14:26.599 to take my gun ? And I looked at him , 14:26.609 --> 14:28.887 I said , I don't want to take your gun . 14:28.887 --> 14:30.942 You're allowed to have a gun , but I 14:30.942 --> 14:33.053 want to take away your ability to use 14:33.053 --> 14:35.331 an assault weapon . And it was no , no . 14:35.331 --> 14:34.710 Here , here , this is how the 14:34.719 --> 14:37.109 conversation went . He said , what do 14:37.119 --> 14:39.286 you mean ? I need that done ? I said , 14:39.286 --> 14:42.030 guess what ? If you need 12 to 100 14:42.039 --> 14:44.261 bullets in a gun in a magazine ? You're 14:44.261 --> 14:46.261 the lousiest shot I've ever heard . 14:49.419 --> 14:50.390 I'm serious . 14:54.419 --> 14:56.641 And to his credit , he looked at me and 14:56.641 --> 14:59.070 said , you have a good point , but 14:59.080 --> 15:02.409 think about it , the weapons of war . 15:03.530 --> 15:05.752 And by the way , it's time we establish 15:05.752 --> 15:08.059 universal background checks 15:13.299 --> 15:16.859 by the way and require the 15:16.869 --> 15:19.890 safe storage of firearms we should hold 15:21.609 --> 15:23.609 is your whole family responsible if 15:23.609 --> 15:26.059 they don't provide those locks on those 15:26.070 --> 15:29.090 guns . We , if in fact , because three 15:29.099 --> 15:30.932 of these major crime scenes I've 15:30.932 --> 15:33.059 visited were ones where the mother or 15:33.070 --> 15:35.219 father left open , left the stuff out 15:35.229 --> 15:37.559 on the desk , left it out on the table 15:37.650 --> 15:40.280 and the kid came and fused it . And by 15:40.289 --> 15:42.520 the way , this is the most important , 15:42.530 --> 15:44.859 the only industry in America that has 15:44.869 --> 15:47.950 immunity are gun dealers . We got to 15:47.960 --> 15:50.190 end it , end it . Now , 16:00.770 --> 16:04.530 imagine , imagine if we gave , we gave 16:04.539 --> 16:06.650 tobacco an exception . They could not 16:06.650 --> 16:09.460 be prosecuted . We , what would happen ? 16:09.690 --> 16:11.912 We'd still 1000 more people be dying of 16:11.912 --> 16:13.968 cancer because of smoke inhalation . 16:14.119 --> 16:16.230 It's time to increase funding for the 16:16.230 --> 16:18.008 Bureau of Alcohol , tobacco and 16:18.008 --> 16:20.119 firearms and explosives and other law 16:20.119 --> 16:23.150 enforcement agencies as well to solve 16:23.159 --> 16:26.500 the crimes faster . Look , 16:26.559 --> 16:29.859 unfortunately , it's the only part of 16:29.869 --> 16:31.702 the thing I'm going to say , the 16:31.702 --> 16:33.925 congressional Republicans oppose all of 16:33.925 --> 16:36.036 these , every one of these instead of 16:36.036 --> 16:38.036 trying to stop our ban on ghost gun 16:38.036 --> 16:40.940 kits that contain these that can commit 16:40.950 --> 16:43.061 crimes . They're working like holders 16:43.061 --> 16:45.549 of to stop it . They want to , they 16:45.559 --> 16:47.781 want to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol , 16:47.781 --> 16:49.892 tobacco and firearms and explosives , 16:49.892 --> 16:52.003 which is responsible for fighting gun 16:52.003 --> 16:53.615 crime . You can't be pro law 16:53.615 --> 16:55.615 enforcement and say you are pro law 16:55.615 --> 16:57.837 enforcement and be pro abolishing the A 16:57.837 --> 17:01.440 FT . You can't do it . It's outrageous . 17:04.170 --> 17:06.329 I disagree with my , some of my own 17:06.339 --> 17:08.900 party and on the other side , a lot of 17:08.910 --> 17:10.966 things , but at least there's some , 17:10.966 --> 17:12.966 some rational argument they have as 17:12.966 --> 17:15.132 part of their argument . What in God's 17:15.132 --> 17:17.243 name is the rationale for taking away 17:17.243 --> 17:19.188 their alcohol , tobacco firearms . 17:19.869 --> 17:21.869 After a school shooting in Iowa , I 17:22.170 --> 17:24.170 killed a student and a teacher . My 17:24.170 --> 17:26.226 predecessor was asked about it . You 17:26.226 --> 17:28.770 remember what he said ? Just have to 17:28.780 --> 17:30.939 get over it . Hell no , we don't have 17:30.949 --> 17:34.170 to get over it . You gotta stop it , 17:34.760 --> 17:36.871 you gotta stop it and stop it . Now , 17:44.750 --> 17:47.380 more Children are killed in America by 17:47.390 --> 17:49.334 guns than cancer and car accidents 17:49.334 --> 17:52.719 combined . My predecessor told the nr a 17:52.729 --> 17:54.840 convention recently , he's proud that 17:54.840 --> 17:57.380 quote , I did nothing on guns when I 17:57.390 --> 17:59.910 was president and by doing nothing , he 17:59.920 --> 18:02.142 made the situation considerably worse . 18:02.400 --> 18:04.733 That's why every town , why this summit , 18:04.733 --> 18:06.567 why all of you here today are so 18:06.949 --> 18:09.349 important . We need you , we need you 18:09.359 --> 18:11.859 to overcome the unrelenting opposition 18:11.880 --> 18:14.047 of the gun lobby , gun manufacturers . 18:14.047 --> 18:16.102 So many politicians when they oppose 18:16.102 --> 18:18.324 common sense , gun legislation , I used 18:18.324 --> 18:20.640 to be a law when I was no longer the 18:20.650 --> 18:22.761 vice president . I became a professor 18:22.761 --> 18:24.430 at the University of , of uh 18:24.439 --> 18:26.550 Pennsylvania . Before that I taught a 18:26.550 --> 18:28.550 constitutional law class . And so , 18:28.550 --> 18:30.383 well , I taught the , the second 18:30.383 --> 18:32.495 amendment . There's never been a time 18:32.495 --> 18:34.828 that says you can own anything you want . 18:34.828 --> 18:36.717 Never , you couldn't own a cannon 18:36.717 --> 18:39.839 during the civil war . Well , you think 18:39.849 --> 18:42.071 about it . How much have you heard this 18:42.071 --> 18:45.239 phrase ? The blood of liberty ? Was it 18:45.250 --> 18:46.959 though ? Give me a break . 18:49.089 --> 18:53.030 No , I mean it seriously . And 18:53.040 --> 18:55.262 by the way , if they want to think that 18:55.262 --> 18:57.429 is to take on government if we get out 18:57.429 --> 18:59.540 of line , which they're talking again 18:59.540 --> 19:01.651 about . Well , guess what ? They need 19:01.651 --> 19:04.839 F-15s . They don't need a rifle . Folks . 19:04.849 --> 19:07.071 Look , this is crazy what we're talking 19:07.071 --> 19:09.182 about because whether we're Democrats 19:09.182 --> 19:11.293 or Republicans , we want our families 19:11.293 --> 19:13.405 to be safe . We all want to drop them 19:13.405 --> 19:15.571 off at a house of worship , a mall , a 19:15.571 --> 19:17.439 movie theater , a school without 19:17.449 --> 19:19.671 worrying , it's the last time I'm going 19:19.671 --> 19:21.689 to get to see them . So what 19:26.410 --> 19:28.354 we don't want our kids to have the 19:28.354 --> 19:30.521 freedom to learn how to read and write 19:30.521 --> 19:30.439 in schools instead of learning how to 19:30.449 --> 19:32.310 duck and cover for God's sake . 19:34.560 --> 19:35.560 Come on , 19:41.780 --> 19:44.640 we all agree . We are not finished . 19:47.530 --> 19:51.479 Yeah , no single , no single 19:51.489 --> 19:54.050 action can solve the entirety of the 19:54.060 --> 19:56.116 gun violence epidemic . But together 19:56.369 --> 19:58.480 our efforts , your efforts are saving 19:58.480 --> 20:00.702 lives . We can help rally a nation with 20:00.702 --> 20:02.813 a sense of urgency and seriousness of 20:02.813 --> 20:05.036 purpose . You're changing the culture . 20:05.369 --> 20:07.719 We and we've proven we can do more than 20:07.729 --> 20:10.479 just thoughts and prayers . This is 20:10.489 --> 20:12.711 more than thoughts and prayers . You're 20:12.711 --> 20:14.933 changing politics . You're proving that 20:14.933 --> 20:17.156 you're powerful and you're relentless . 20:17.156 --> 20:19.267 And I mean that let me close this . I 20:19.267 --> 20:21.045 know many people here have been 20:21.045 --> 20:23.569 impacted by gun violence and are tired 20:23.579 --> 20:24.579 and frustrated . 20:27.859 --> 20:31.069 Iii I know I've been to too many , I've , 20:31.079 --> 20:33.135 I've literally spoken with well over 20:33.135 --> 20:35.357 1000 families at these events that I've 20:35.357 --> 20:39.020 attended mass shootings and 20:39.030 --> 20:42.869 look in their eyes you 20:42.880 --> 20:46.849 can almost , you can almost feel 20:46.859 --> 20:49.081 that black hole they feel in the center 20:49.081 --> 20:50.970 of their chest like they're being 20:50.970 --> 20:53.449 sucked in . There's no way out if they 20:53.459 --> 20:55.626 have the remaining Children . You look 20:55.626 --> 20:58.729 at the Children and they wonder , mommy 20:58.739 --> 21:01.609 daddy , how about me ? 21:03.239 --> 21:06.439 And I know you may wonder , are we ever 21:06.449 --> 21:08.699 going to make full progress that we 21:08.709 --> 21:11.369 need to make ? I'm here to tell you , 21:12.380 --> 21:14.819 we have no choice . We cannot give up 21:14.829 --> 21:18.619 trying for all the lives lost and all 21:18.630 --> 21:20.630 those who are still there to save , 21:20.800 --> 21:22.729 we're gonna get there . I have no 21:22.739 --> 21:25.072 illusions about how difficult it may be , 21:25.072 --> 21:27.239 but I also have no illusions about the 21:27.239 --> 21:29.350 people in this room . You're changing 21:29.350 --> 21:31.461 the attitude of the public . I really 21:31.461 --> 21:31.410 mean , I'm going back to why I got here 21:31.420 --> 21:34.609 in the first place to say thank you . 21:36.209 --> 21:38.431 We can come up , I can come up with all 21:38.431 --> 21:40.320 these ideas about the laws we can 21:40.320 --> 21:42.431 change to make it easier , but you're 21:42.431 --> 21:44.265 changing people's lives . You're 21:44.265 --> 21:46.431 convincing your neighbors and people . 21:46.431 --> 21:48.542 This is necessary . It's beginning to 21:48.542 --> 21:50.765 move what we've already done around the 21:50.765 --> 21:52.709 community . Look at the movement , 21:52.709 --> 21:55.079 you've built the elected officials 21:55.089 --> 21:57.979 standing with you . Look at all the 21:57.989 --> 21:59.822 mothers organizations across the 21:59.822 --> 22:02.089 country . President , you are making a 22:15.410 --> 22:16.410 New York 22:19.790 --> 22:22.869 when the crisis , half what people 22:22.880 --> 22:24.880 affected by crash have to know . Is 22:24.880 --> 22:27.920 anybody listening ? Do you hear me to 22:27.930 --> 22:30.550 the here we saying , listen to the 22:30.560 --> 22:32.560 young people who are speaking out . 22:33.369 --> 22:35.869 That's the power of the memory of your 22:35.880 --> 22:37.991 loved ones . That's the power of this 22:37.991 --> 22:40.459 movement . That's the power of America . 22:40.469 --> 22:42.691 We just have to keep going and keep the 22:42.691 --> 22:44.747 faith . Remember who we are . We are 22:44.747 --> 22:46.691 the United States of America . And 22:46.691 --> 22:48.691 there's nothing beyond our capacity 22:48.691 --> 22:50.913 when we act and do it together . So God 22:50.913 --> 22:53.080 bless you all and may God protect your 22:53.080 --> 22:55.191 truth . Thank you . Thanks for safe . 22:56.810 --> 22:57.500 Keep it up .