Amy Schumer and Chuck Schumer team up for call to action on gun violence
- Movie
Over the weekend, Amy Schumer responded to a call for her to become a voice against gun violence in America by writing that she was “on it” in the wake of last month’s shooting during a screening of Trainwreck in Lafayette, Louisiana.
On Monday, Schumer joined New York Senator (and her cousin) Chuck Schumer to reveal her plans: a plea for action for tighter gun laws.
“I’m not sure why this man chose my movie to end those two lives and injure nine others, but it was very personal for me,” Amy Schumer said at a joint press conference. “We always find out how the shooter got their gun and it’s always something that never should have happened in the first place.”
She added, “These shootings have got to stop. I don’t know how else to say it.”
Sen. Schumer announced a new three-pronged plan and public push to crack down on mass shootings and gun violence. That includes introducing new legislation to creates monetary rewards for states that submit all necessary records into the system for background checks and creates penalties for states that don’t; urging the Department of Justice to write a comprehensive report comparing states’ standards for involuntary mental health commitment and give recommendations on best practices; and calling on Congress to preserve funding for mental health and substance abuse programs.
“If there’s anything that the mass shootings … have taught us, it’s that we should do everything in our power to close these loopholes,” he said, also referencing the June 17 church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. “We all know that if laws were tighter, the shooter in Charleston would not have been able to purchase a gun.”
The Schumers’ call comes after two women — Mayci Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33 — died after a gunman opened fire in a movie theater on July 23 during a screening of Schumer’s Trainwreck. Nine others were injured by the shooter, who then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana,” Schumer said at that time, while Trainwreck director Judd Apatow also shared condolences and said that “We, as a country, need to find a way to do better.”
This post has been updated throughout.
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