Amy Schumer, Senator Cousin Push Harder for Gun Control Reform
Amy Schumer continued to wage her “crusade on guns” on Sunday, appearing with New York Senator (and cousin) Chuck Schumer at New York City’s City Hall. As The Wrap reports, their message was built on a platform outlined at an August press conference in Manhattan, following the tragic July shooting at a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater during a showing of Schumer’s film Trainwreck.
In an infographic posted on Twitter, the senator proposed a three-point policy: “Close Background Check Loopholes,” “Make Background Checks Better” and “Shut Down the Illegal Gun Pipeline.” Amy Schumer echoed her cousin’s statements, writing, “Please join me and @SenSchumer in ending gun violence and tweet the hashtag #aimingforchange RT we can do this.”
In the Louisiana shooting, the assailant – who had a history of mental health issues – killed two, Mayci Breaux and Jillian Johnson, and injured nine.
“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,” Schumer said during the August 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.”
Senator Schumer detailed new legislation that would financially reward states which “submit all necessary records into the background check system” and penalize those that don’t. In addition, he requested the Department of Justice to write a report “comparing all states’ standards for involuntary mental health commitment,” intended to offer “federal recommendations” for practices. He closed by urging Congress to increase funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Less than a week after the original press conference, during a press event at Italy’s Locarno Film Festival, Amy Schumer blamed America’s lack of sensible gun control reform on the highly profitable firearm industry.
“I think it’s money,” she said. “You know it’s really not my area of expertise, but it really upset me. It felt really personal to me. In terms of what’s going on in our Congress and why this has been such an ongoing issue is very frustrating. I just felt the need to get involved because of how personal that event felt and how upset it made me feel.”