Contact: Lauren Hitt, 443-370-3205, lauren@randybryceforcongress.
RACINE, WI – Democratic congressional candidate Randy Bryce released the following statement on Speaker Ryan’s announcement today that “House Republicans would focus on law enforcement failures, not tighter gun control, in the wake of the latest mass shooting.” Bryce is running to replace Speaker Ryan in Wisconsin’s First Congressional District.
“Nearly two weeks passed without Speaker Ryan presenting any concrete proposal of what he thought should be done in the wake of the Parkland shooting. When he finally broke his silence today, he blamed law enforcement and did not propose any new gun reform measures. There’s no question that we should have a comprehensive response to what happened to those South Florida students, including measures that would better address mental illness and better secure our schools. But it is insane to say that part of that comprehensive response should not also be preventing civilian teenagers from having access to military assault rifles designed for the sole purpose of killing other human beings.
I’m a gun owner and an Army vet. Banning military assault rifles or raising the age of purchase is not the same as ” banning guns for law-abiding citizens,” as Speaker Ryan said today. It’s about not wanting the same weapons I used in war to be used in our schools and our streets.
The Speaker’s response to this whole incident has been mind boggling. He has refused to be a leader and allow votes on common sense gun reform measures that the majority of the American public supports. He traveled to South Florida for a fundraiser just 48 hours after the attack, but refused to meet with students or teachers, even turning one Florida teacher away from his fundraiser. He ignored calls to meet with students from his own district. There are students from Parkland in D.C. today and it was immediately unclear whether he’ll meet with them either.
We need a speaker who will listen to our kids rather than just parroting the same old lines.”
About Randy Bryce
Randy Bryce is a U.S. Army veteran, cancer survivor, and union ironworker. He was raised in southeastern Wisconsin, and went to public schools. Randy’s father was a police officer, and his mother worked in a doctor’s office. After graduation, Randy enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was posted to Honduras, where he earned the Army Achievement Medal. After returning stateside, Randy was diagnosed with cancer, which he survived, but only after struggling through the bankruptcy that came with the medical bills. Once in remission, Randy found his way to an apprenticeship as an iron worker, a trade he’s now been practicing and fighting to protect from anti-labor laws for nearly 20 years. Randy currently resides in Caledonia, WI with his son, Ben, who attends public schools like his dad. Randy joined the race for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District in Summer 2017.
