WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy(D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by Vice President Joe Biden that the Administration will invest $100 million to increase access to mental health services:

 

Since that horrific morning in Newtown one year ago, not a day has passed that we didn’t pause to mourn the innocent lives lost and recommit ourselves to preventing the next tragic shooting. Shamefully, Congress has failed to enact meaningful legislation to address the scourge of gun violence in America. We applaud the President and Vice President’s commitment to addressing mental health issues—it’s a critical component of our broader efforts to reduce gun violence in our state and country. This funding is a significant step toward that goal, and we will continue to work tirelessly to pass the lifesaving gun reforms that will make our schools and our streets safer.