As our community mourns, we stand united and stronger than ever. I echo President Obama’s message of supporting each other as we rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating attack that took the lives of 14, injured 21 and wreaked havoc on our community. I’d also like to again recognize the heroic actions of our law enforcement officers, paramedics and firefighters who risked their lives to end the violence and tend to the wounded on Wednesday afternoon.

Now more than ever, we need to come together across boundaries of religion, race and any other differences that our enemies would like to use to divide us. San Bernardino County is a community rich with diversity and history—this is something to embrace, not reject.

We need to do more to combat ISIS to eliminate threats abroad and at home. As we continue to take the fight to ISIS, it is imperative that we explore every option available to the United States and our allies. This includes additional special operations forces and possible no fly zones. Additionally, in the coming days and weeks, it’s necessary for the future of our country to have meaningful conversations and action to prevent future terrorist attacks like this, and that includes reasonable changes to our nation’s gun laws.

This has been a consistent problem in San Bernardino, with hundreds of gun related crimes in 2015 alone. And now, in the wake of this tragedy, we must lead and tell the nation that guns are not more valuable than lives.  Tonight the President outlined some changes, like banning terror suspects on the No Fly List from buying guns and making it harder to acquire the assault weapons used to kill with lethal efficiency.

As a Congressman and as a father, I believe that we can be better and do better to respond to the domestic and international threats our nation faces.

As our community moves forward, we will show the country and world the resiliency of San Bernardino. We will remain unified, undeterred and unafraid.