President Joe Biden spoke at the National Safer Communities Summit at the University of Hartford Friday afternoon, and will attend an event in Greenwich later this evening.
Biden landed at Bradley Airport, where he was greeted by Gov. Ned Lamont and United States Rep. John Larson. Then he greeted a group that was gathered at the airport to see him.
The motorcade then brought him to the University of Hartford for the National Safer Communities Summit, which started at 9 a.m. at Lincoln Theater. Biden took the stage at about 3 p.m.
Survivors of gun violence, gun safety advocates and many federal and state lawmakers are in attendance.
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The speakers include Biden, Gabby Giffords, Nelba Marquez-Greene, Nicole Hockley, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Gov. Ned Lamont. You can find the line-up of speakers, here.
"I don't know how many times I've met with people in this country who shake my hand and say, 'I'm worried, there's been another shooting not far from where I live. I'm scared to send my kid to school.' It's had a profound impact," Biden said.
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The speakers have been discussing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, legislation Biden signed last year that includes some of the most significant federal gun safety legislation in 30 years. Biden described the law as an important first step.
"I know it feels like it isn't enough, when you turn on the news and see another tragedy in a school, grocery store or parade. Honestly, I feel like that as well. The facts give us reason of hope, though," Biden said. "Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, we all want our families to be safe."
“It’s a waiting period on all assault weapons purchases for younger buyers, it invests in state red flag laws that take away guns from dangerous people, it expands the background check system, and it takes guns away from domestic abusers,” Sen. Chris Murphy said.
Biden said he and Connecticut's delegation have grown closer after the Sandy Hook shooting.
"The people in this room have turned their pain into purpose. You're the reason why I'm so optimistic about the future of this country. You're the best educated, most involved, least selfish and more consequential generation in American history," Biden said.
The legislation also includes $15 billion for mental health and community resources, and $1.5 billion to make schools safer. The president said the legislation also adds 14,000 hired and trained medical professionals in schools.
“That’s a lot of money, and so we are building a lot of mental health clinics, all around the country with that money,” Murphy said.
"We want our kids to have the freedom to learn, to read and to write instead of learning how to duck and cover in a classroom," Biden said. "And above all, we are not finished. We are not finished. We are not finished."
On Friday, Murphy discussed why stricter gun laws will make it harder for certain individuals to get guns. And he said gun violence rates in 2023 are falling so far, in part thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
“All across the country, data from the first five months of 2023 shows that for the first time in a long time, gun violence rates in our biggest cities are falling. Now it's early days, right. We have seen trends heading in the right direction that don't play out, but if this trend continues, then there is just no way to explain that phenomenon. And it looks like the rates might be falling by over 10% in many places. That's great news. That's great news. There's no way to explain that other than the provisions in the funding in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” Murphy said.
Nelba Marquez-Greene's daughter, Ana Grace, was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and she spoke to the crowd about her daughter and about ending gun violence.
“Ending gun violence is a moral imperative and a winnable issue. I also challenge us to not ignore survivor care because this grief does not go away,” Nelba Marquez-Greene said.
Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan, was killed in the shooting in Newtown, spoke about the Stop School Violence Act that was passed in 2018 and said between the two pieces of legislation, progress continues to be made, but participation from the youth needs to continue.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal agreed and also said he was encouraged to see that many advocate groups now, like the Jr. Newtown Action Alliance, are being led by that younger generation.
“I think we need to reach out beyond our comfort zones, our political comfort zones, to take advantage of this moment because it is a really powerful moment,” he said.
Gun violence survivors Alayah Eastmond, Tre Bosley, Lucy Sarkissian and Sari Kaufman all shared their thoughts on gun violence in the country, saying the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is already making a difference.
"In this fight, we are glad to have President Biden on our side and are thankful for what is to come," Bosley said.
Eastmond, a Parkland school shooting survivor, said she has spent every day since fighting so that no one has to experience what she did.
"This generation can and will be the generation to stop and solve gun violence," Eastmond said.
Kaufman said she "refuses to accept thoughts and prayers instead of policy and change."
Biden is the second president to visit the University of Hartford campus.
A small group of demonstrators gathered at the entrance of the school.
House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said he doesn't believe Hartford was the right place to show a "shining example for gun safety and anti-crime legislation."
“Given the crime in our suburbs and the gun violence we’ve seen in our cities, including two shootings this week right here in Hartford, Connecticut is hardly the shining example for ‘gun safety and anti-crime legislation’ Governor Lamont advertised ahead of the President’s visit. If Connecticut is in contention to lead anything in this arena, it’s the race to implement the Democrat party’s national vision for normalizing criminal activity while squeezing law-abiding gun owners. For that, Democrats here get a head ruffle from President Biden, whose trip to Connecticut won’t do a single thing to improve public safety in our communities or anywhere else in the nation.”
The Connecticut Citizens Defense League released a statement, saying, “Gun control advocates have now coined themselves as gun safety advocates. Responsible firearm owners lawfully possess and use guns daily. Many are instructors or volunteer at their local sportsmen’s clubs and ranges. These are the individuals who are true gun safety advocates, not those who have little first-hand experience with a firearm.”
After the summit, Biden will be in Greenwich for a campaign reception. Greenwich police said there will be road closures and a heightened police presence throughout town.