Senator Chris Murphy doesn’t back down from a challenge. When his state of Connecticut experienced the devastating shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary 10 years ago, he took up the mantle of gun safety. This spring, when schoolchildren were once again senselessly murdered—this time in Uvalde, Texas—he refused to listen to those who said progress wasn’t possible.

Instead, he worked around the clock with my team at Giffords and other gun-safety advocates to reach a bipartisan compromise that President Biden signed into law. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal gun-safety law in nearly 30 years, wouldn’t have been possible without Murphy’s passion, persistence, and courage.

Murphy fights every single day on behalf of our children and our communities. He’s a visionary leader, a warrior for peace, and a treasured friend. Because he didn’t back down, our country will be a safer place for generations to come.