Underwood Statement on Shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin
WEST CHICAGO— Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) released the following statement.
"That a 17-year-old from our community would have an assault weapon, travel to Kenosha, and allegedly commit grave violence toward protesters is an unspeakably horrific symptom of the toxic hate and division that permeate our country right now. This instance is painfully close to home, and it is not reflective of the values we hold dear in northern Illinois: that weapons of war, racism, and hate have no place in our communities, and we should never seek to solve problems through violence.
"We must have a complete and transparent investigation into Tuesday night's events and justice must be served. In the meantime, I hold Jacob Blake and the victims of last night's shooting in my heart and I am as committed as ever before to working to heal our divided country, prevent gun violence, and push the Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act."
As Vice Chair of the Committee on Homeland Security, Underwood is committed to keeping Americans safe and strengthening our national security. In June 2020, Underwood supported the bipartisan passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House of Representatives to create stronger systems of transparency and accountability in policing across the country and safeguard every American's right to safety and justice.
In January 2020, Underwood introduced the bipartisan Safe Communities Act to ensure rural and suburban communities have the resources needed to protect themselves from domestic terrorist threats. The legislation advanced out of the Homeland Security Committee in February 2020. In September 2019, in a Homeland Security Committee hearing, Underwood addressed growing threats of domestic terrorism and advocated for increased federal resources for suburban and rural communities like those in the 14th District of Illinois.
Underwood has also worked to address the spread of online extremism and misinformation. In June 2019, Underwood questioned top officials from Facebook and Instagram on their commitment to creating stronger policies to stop the spread of online extremism. Additionally, Underwood is a cosponsor of the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act as well as the Domestic and International Terrorism DATA Act.
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