Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday urged U.S. leaders to renew their commitment to fighting gun violence after a Wisconsin school shooting that killed a teacher and teenage student.
Ms. Harris urged leaders to scramble for solutions during a speech in Prince George’s County, Maryland, that served as her most extensive public remarks since conceding the election to President-elect Donald Trump
“It’s another school shooting, another community being torn apart by gun violence. Our nation mourned for those who were killed and for those who were injured,” Ms. Harris said. “We as a nation must renew our commitment to end the horror of gun violence, both mass shootings and every gun violence that touches so many communities in our nation.”
Ms. Harris and President Biden will be in office for roughly a month longer before giving way to Mr. Trump and his GOP team.
The current administration ushered in some changes to gun laws but fell short of a ban on military-style “assault” weapons or requiring universal background checks on all firearms sales.
Ms. Harris pushed for those measures during the campaign, though the topic was overshadowed at times by a focus on abortion access and other issues. Mr. Trump, meanwhile, hammered on price inflation and illegal immigration en route to his victory.
Ms. Harris has appeared in public a few times since her defeat, including a video call to thank grassroots supporters and donors and a series of holiday receptions.
Otherwise, she’s kept a low profile while Democrats point fingers and figure out how to rebuild the party as they confront a GOP-controlled White House and Congress.
Ms. Harris said she’s received thousands of letters since the election, including from young supporters who said they will not be deterred from engaging in their communities and pushing for change from Washington.
She urged young people to “stay in the fight,” calling it a responsibility as an American, and lauded them for being “rightly impatient for change.”
“I love that about you,” Ms. Harris said.
She spoke about the election and incoming administration only in glancing terms, though she garnered applause with a line that seemed aimed at Mr. Trump.
“We recognize that the true measure of the strength of a leader is not based on who you beat down,” she said. “It’s based on who you lift up.”
She also poked fun at herself, deploying one of the enigmatic mantras that generated mockery online.
“I ask you to remember the context in which you exist,” she told the students, pausing. “Yeah, I did that … uh-huh.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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