Statement on the Fifth Anniversary of the Shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas

Five years ago today, the lives of eight young people and two of their teachers were stolen in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history. Their families, classmates, and colleagues continue to live with the trauma and anguish from this devastating attack, and Jill and I are keeping them especially close in our hearts today.

One of the lasting tragedies of the shooting at Santa Fe High School—and too many other devastating school shootings—is the refusal by congressional Republicans to enact meaningful legislation to stop gun violence. Guns are the number-one killer of kids in America, and it's within our power to stop this epidemic. Yet, from Columbine to Newtown to Parkland to Uvalde to Nashville and so many other shootings in between, our schools are routinely scenes of gun violence instead of the safe spaces they should be. Our kids should be focused on leading the world in math and science, not learning how to duck and cover.

I am doing everything in my power to maximize the impact of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and my administration is taking dozens of executive actions to reduce gun violence. But there is no substitute for Federal legislation. Congress must act to require safe storage, to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enact universal background checks, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers. Our kids, educators, school officials—and all Americans—deserve nothing less.