In March, I joined thousands of young Arlingtonians in the March for Our Lives. The statistics are staggering and unacceptable. In Virginia, more than 880 people die from gun violence each year. Over 1,300 children die from gun violence each year our country. Americans are 25 times more likely to die of gun violence than citizens in other developed countries.

No parent should be afraid to send their children to school. No school employee should be afraid to go to work. As a former teacher, I understand this at the most practical level. As a County Board Member I will be an unfailing advocate for sensible gun safety laws that will keep us all safe in our places of worship, our movie theaters, our softball fields and public spaces. Currently, Virginia’s Dillon Rule and Virginia law specifically preclude Arlington County from enacting or implementing any common sense gun safety measures, despite the fact that the vast majority of Arlingtonians support them. I believe strongly that we should change Virginia law to allow Arlington to take action to keep our families, friends and neighbors safe.

Proposals for Arlington

I support the efforts of Arlington’s General Assembly members to pass common sense gun safety measures. As a County Board member, I will advocate for inclusion of the following proposals in Arlington’s state and/or federal legislative packages:

  • Universal background checks or expanded background checks for all firearm sales and other transfers
  • A ban on assault weapons
  • A ban on bump stocks (devices which allow a rifle to fire faster than it normally does)
  • Funding that permits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct gun violence research
  • Restoration of the VA law that restricted gun purchases by residents to one gun a month
  • Ensuring that those with restraining orders or serious mental health issues do not have access to guns
  • Closing the gun show loophole
  • Increasing resources for mental health awareness and treatment
  • General Assembly delegation of the power to regulate guns to localities