Members of Congress asked: What will you do about mass shootings?

The March 27 school shooting at Nashville’s private The Covenant School in which seven people were killed was but one of 131 mass shootings in the country this year, according to Gun Violence Archive, which compiles a database of gun incidents.

In the aftermath of the Nashville slayings, we asked Illinois’ two senators and the Sauk Valley’s representatives in Congress a question:

“What will you do during the 118th Congress to address mass shootings in the United States?”

Here are their responses:

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Democrat

“I will continue to push and prod and try to convince my Republican colleagues to ban assault rifles so that we, as a country, can do more to end this nightmarish cycle. Just this past February, I helped reintroduce the Keep Americans Safe Act to ban the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines. It couldn’t be clearer that thoughts and prayers are simply not enough. We must get these weapons of war off our streets.”

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat

“My heart breaks to think of the grief families and communities feel when a mass shooting happens – at school, church, or even the grocery store. I still ache thinking of the destruction we saw last Fourth of July in Highland Park. There are commonsense steps we can take to prevent mass shootings in this country. I’m an outspoken supporter of renewing the assault weapons ban in order to keep guns that were designed for the battlefield out of our communities and out of the hands of mass shooters. I strongly supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, landmark legislation passed last year that cracked down on illicit gun trafficking, strengthened the firearm background check system, and provided billions in funding for school security and mental health resources. Since I have served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Committee has held 12 hearings on commonsense steps to reduce gun violence, including a hearing centered on the mass shooting in Highland Park.”

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, Republican-16th District

“As a father of three boys, I cannot imagine the pain the families of the victims of the violence in Nashville are feeling. My prayers remain with those families and the Nashville community. I prosecuted gun cases during my time as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and believe we can do more to prevent violent crime in communities throughout the country. This includes investing in and empowering our police to go after criminals, rigorously enforcing existing gun laws, increasing penalties for criminal gun offenses, requiring prosecutors to report when they fail to prosecute serious crimes, expanding information sharing between law enforcement agencies, and investing and improving mental and behavioral health resources in our communities.”

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, Democrat-17th District

“Sadly another school shooting. This time in Nashville, with three of the victims between pre-K and sixth grade. My heart breaks for these children and their families. How much longer until we come together to address school safety and gun violence?”