Like many of us across rural New Mexico, I was born into a gun-owning household where hunting was part of the rhythm of the seasons, and wild game a part of our diet. My father instilled in his children a deep commitment to gun safety, and I bring this experience to my work in Congress and the fight to ensure that all Americans have the fundamental right to live free from the fear of gun violence in their communities. The tragedy at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas where 19 beautiful children and two teachers were senselessly murdered is yet another mass shooting that reminds us of the cost of failing to pass common-sense gun violence prevention reforms in Congress. Gun violence is a public health crisis and we must act.

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Americans overwhelmingly support gun violence reform. I support background checks on all gun sales, a ban on military-style assault weapons, and strengthening red flag laws to ensure dangerous individuals who may harm themselves or others don’t possess them. These are just some of the widely supported policies that will save lives without impacting the rights of law-abiding Americans to freely own firearms.