Republican members of Congress respond to gun tragedies while they’re in the news. But, they don’t take responsibility for how their actions, and inaction, lay the groundwork for hate crimes and gun violence, nor do they take action to prevent these tragedies from happening again. Instead, they offer up either fleeting sentiments or xenophobic and racist policies.

They need to pass real gun control now, including:

• Closing the terror gap by allowing the Department of Justice to block guns sales to anyone on the terror watch list. Between 2004 and 2014, more than 2,000 people on the list purchased guns in the U.S.
• Closing the loophole that allows people to buy guns without undergoing background checks through private sales, at gun shows and online. An estimated 40 percent of all firearms transferred in the U.S. are transferred by unlicensed individuals not required to conduct background checks on buyers.
• Banning convicted domestic abusers and stalkers from buying guns. Abused women are five times more likely to be killed by their abuser if that individual has access to a firearm.
• Prohibiting the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and "large capacity" magazines for civilian use.
  

In 2014 alone, the gun lobby spent over $30 million on political advertising and lobbying to influence legislators in Congress and state capitals across the country.

States with more guns have more deaths, and states where it's harder to get guns have fewer gun-related deaths. It doesn't get simpler than that: Gun safety laws work. If Republicans really want to protect Americans, they need to break their blind allegiance to the NRA and pass gun control legislation.

Tell the GOP: “Thoughts and prayers” are not enough. We need real gun control.