I’m a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting — one of the deadliest acts of gun violence in American history. I know what it’s like to live through that kind of terror, to feel the silence after the gunfire, and to see the headlines fade while nothing changes. Every time Congress shrugs off another tragedy, it’s a betrayal — not just of victims, but of every American who deserves to feel safe in their school, workplace, or community.

We don’t have a gun problem in this country — we have a cowardice problem. The gun lobby has spent decades buying silence and loyalty in Washington, and it’s time to break that grip once and for all.

I believe in the Second Amendment. But I also believe in the right to stay alive. Common-sense reforms are supported by the majority of Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and gun owners alike. It’s time our leaders acted like it.

I’ll fight for real, proven solutions that protect both safety and rights:

• Universal background checks for all firearm purchases and transfers.

• Closing the gun show and online loopholes that allow criminals to evade the law.

• Red flag laws that empower families and law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from those who pose a danger to themselves or others.

• Safe storage requirements to prevent accidental shootings and keep firearms out of the hands of children.

• Keep guns out of schools and protect children from the epidemic of gun violence — now the leading cause of death among American youth.

• Banning high-capacity magazines and military-style weapons designed for war, not for our neighborhoods.

• Treat gun violence as the public health emergency it is, expanding CDC research and funding for prevention.

• Invest in community-based violence prevention and mental health services.

• Strengthen enforcement of existing gun laws and increase penalties for illegal trafficking and straw purchases.

• Hold the gun industry accountable by ending immunity for manufacturers and enforcing strict reporting requirements.

I’ve lived the consequences of inaction. I won’t back down from this fight — not when lives are on the line and not when powerful lobbies try to silence the truth. We can protect the rights of responsible gun owners and protect the lives of our families. We just need leaders with the courage to do it.