WEST CHICAGO, Ill. — In the wake of the Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park,
state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, and other state lawmakers from Illinois, California,
New York and Delaware met with senior White House officials on efforts to prevent gun
violence and hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in the gun violence epidemic.
“Gun manufacturing is a multi-billion dollar industry that consistently puts profits ahead of the
health and safety of our families, communities and children. The fact this industry faces little to
no consequence for their products’ role in the devastating violence done to communities like
Uvalde, Buffalo, and Highland Park is disgusting and fundamentally wrong,” Hirschauer said.
“As we continue to fight for solutions to prevent gun violence, we must hold these powerful
companies accountable for the irreparable harm they’ve caused.”
At the meeting, legislators from all four states discussed the steps New York, California, and
Delaware have taken to hold the gun industry accountable for their part in fueling the current gun
violence epidemic, as well as possible measures and tactics Illinois leaders are considering to
address this issue.
“Gun violence is a complex public health crisis that necessitates multifaceted, shared solutions. I
am extremely grateful to the White House and my contemporaries in New York, California, and
Delaware for their collaboration as we look to solve this disturbing issue,” said Hirschauer.
“Illinois has a long way to go, but we are fortunate to have the power and resources to take
serious action to prevent gun violence and keep our communities safe.”
Hirschauer previously introduced two bills to prevent gun violence. House Bill 3222 would
create Illinois’ first assault weapons registry, which would help law enforcement solve gun
crimes and disarm dangerous individuals. She also introduced House Bill 5522, a complete ban
on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, both of which are often used in mass
shootings. Both bills are currently awaiting consideration by the Illinois General Assembly.