A group of Connecticut lawmakers rallied on Capitol Hill on Thursday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 26 children and educators dead.
"The hole in your heart never heals,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.).
She was joined by Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D) and Sens. Chris Murphy
Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphyBipartisan anger builds over police failure at Capitol McConnell vows 'painstaking investigation' and 'thorough review' of Capitol security Murphy reminds Defense leaders that forces in DC protests must visibly ID themselves MORE (D) and Richard Blumenthal (D), as well as dozens of family members of victims of gun violence, pushing for tougher gun control.
The rally comes a day after President Obama marked the anniversary of the Dec. 14, 2012, mass shooting, reiterating his call for lawmakers to curb "access to guns for those who would do our kids harm."
It’s the first gun control rally on Capitol Hill since Donald Trump
Donald TrumpMcConnell circulates procedures for second Senate impeachment trial of Trump Trump suggests building own platform after Twitter ban Poll: 18 percent of Republicans support Capitol riots MORE was elected president last month and Republicans maintained control of Congress.
Trump’s ascension to the White House paints a grim picture for gun control advocates. The Republican businessman was endorsed by the National Rifle Association and promised to defend the Second Amendment if elected president.
“Shortly we’ll have a new president,” Blumenthal said Thursday. “Unlike President Obama, he is hardly committed to the cause of ending gun violence.”
Blumenthal and his colleagues show no sign of backing down, despite even tougher odds in the legislative battle in Washington over guns.
They called on Trump to throw his support behind measures to expand background checks to all gun sales, ban terrorists from buying guns and allow gun violence victims and their families to sue firearms manufacturers.
But these gun control measures are unlikely to pass in a GOP-controlled Congress.
“I know people are so frustrated, so mad that we haven’t been able to make more progress in four years,” Murphy said Thursday.
“But I think it's, frankly, understandable that we are in for a long fight."
