Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex) issued the following statement Wednesday responding to the tragic events of May 24th, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas and calling for continued strengthening of gun safety:
“This morning, families in Texas looked upon empty beds. As a father, I am outraged and horrified. This was a barbaric attack and while this story will soon disappear from our headlines like too many others, we cannot see yesterday’s events as anything other than what it was: an aberration that offends the values we stand for as a nation. This should be anything but ordinary.
“We need to be strong and we need to look to strengthen our gun safety laws. In New Jersey, common sense gun safety has been the answer and our will to act has made us a leader in the fight to keep our communities safe. At the same time, we must get to the heart of the problem by investing in a robust plan to address mental health. The fact that our young people are in crisis is undeniable.”