U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty, whose district includes Newtown, marked the second anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy with a promise to continue to push for gun safety legislation.
At a press conference, Blumenthal, flanked by gun control advocates, and two parents of children who were killed at Sandy Hook, said Democrats have a rare opportunity to work with freshman Republican Senators to make sensible gun control policy happen.
"We can form coalitions with our Republican colleagues if we see common ground around a mental health initiative, and school safety, using background checks, which is supported by the vast majority of Americans," Blumenthal said.
Nicole Hockley, whose son Dylan was killed two years ago at Sandy Hook, said that despite the inaction of Congress on the issue of gun violence prevention, she is encouraged by the growing number of people who find the 94 school shooting nationwide since Sandy Hook unacceptable.
"This is not going to go away," said Hockley. "We are gaining momentum. Our voices are getting stronger as we get stronger."