Today, Representative Pete Aguilar joined members of the community for a press conference to call for commonsense gun safety reform following last week’s sit-in on the House floor.

“I heard overwhelmingly from my constituents, both on the phone and through social media, that they want a vote on commonsense gun reform,” said Aguilar, reflecting on last week’s events. He added, “If House Republicans want to vote against commonsense reform, then that is on them to answer to their constituents, but refusing to even allow a vote is a despicable act of cowardice and violates their basic obligation to serve their districts.”

Gail Howard of Redlands attended the press conference on Wednesday. Howard’s son Jordan was severely injured and two of his friends were killed by gun violence in 2011. She commented, “I’m tired of burying young ones, I’m tired of all of this…It’s time for us to come together, stop the bickering of Republicans and Democrats and find a solution.”

Rep. Aguilar has been a strong advocate for commonsense reforms to reduce gun violence since taking office last year, and before that when he served as the Mayor of Redlands. He joined House Democrats in a sit-in protest last week to call on House Republicans to allow votes on two commonsense, bipartisan bills that would keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists and expand background checks to cover all gun purchases.