Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said Thursday that the school safety bill recently passed in the House is not enough of a response to the recent shooting in his district.
"Yes, this was a good bill, but we can't allow the gun lobby or anyone else to let us — let anyone — believe that this is the response to the shooting," Deutch, who represents the district that includes the school where 17 people were shot and killed last month, said on CNN.
The congressman has become a staunch advocate for gun control in the wake of the shooting, and decried the fact that the bill doesn't include any measures.
"We know what we have to do to keep our schools and communities safe," he added.
Deutch was one of the original cosponsors of the bill, titled the "Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act" or the "STOP School Violence Act," which creates a program to train students, school staff and law enforcement to "identify and intervene early when signs of violence arise, create a coordinated reporting system, and implement FBI & Secret Service-based school threat assessment protocols," to prevent school shootings.
"I'm deeply grateful to Sandy Hook Promise for their tireless support for this legislation," Deutch said after the bill passed 407-100 on Wednesday, according to Sunshine State News.
"When we first introduced this bill, I had no idea it would hit so close to home for me and my community. This vote is proof that Congress can take bipartisan action to keep our children safe. However, my colleagues should not be mistaken to think this is enough. We cannot tackle the rampant gun violence in our country without addressing guns themselves. Let's move with this bipartisan momentum and pass meaningful legislation to make our communities safe."
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