Your Congressman's Response to NRA-Backed School Safety Proposal

A National Rifle Assosciation-backed task force released a 225-page proposal featureing new school safety measures this week. The report is a "counterproposal to the spate of gun control bills introduced in the wake of the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December," according to the LA Times. 

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson responded to the report on Monday. Here's what he had to say. Share your thoughts in the comments below: 

“School safety is an important component of any comprehensive plan to reduce and prevent gun violence. That’s why my task force recommended that Congress take steps to enhance school safety nearly two months ago. We should do everything we can to keep our kids safe, and that includes having school resource officers in those schools that want them, and urging our communities to develop safety plans in case of emergencies. However, arming school personnel and training them for shootouts will only exacerbate problems. 

“While school safety must be part of any comprehensive gun violence prevention plan, it cannot be the only part. We need to invest in mental health and other preventive efforts. We need to enforce the laws that are on the books by cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchasing. And, we need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill by making sure everyone purchasing a gun gets a background check.

“Passing legislation that enhances school safety is not an acceptable alternative to passing other gun violence prevention measures such as background checks. Congress can and should do both.”