As the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, visited the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris gave a strong statement on the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, that killed at least 18 people.
“Last night, Lewiston became yet another community torn apart by senseless gun violence,” she said. “Once again, routine gatherings, this time at a bowling alley and a restaurant, have been turned into scenes of horrific carnage.”
“And as we gather details, we must continue to speak truth about the moment we are in,” she continued, before pivoting to advocate for gun control reform. “Gun violence has terrorized and traumatized so many of our communities in this country. And let us be clear, it does not have to be this way, as our friends in Australia have demonstrated.”
After a 1996 mass shooting in Port Arthur, Australia passed a series of strong gun control measures including compulsory buy-back programs that are widely considered to have drastically reduced gun violence and suicides in the country.
