A survivor of the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., chided senators for raising concerns about the recent animal deaths aboard airplanes as opposed to the need for stricter gun laws.
“Senators, I must respectfully ask, If the 17 brave eagles at my school who lost their lives to a gunman wielding an assault rifle were a dog on an airplane, would you finally talk about guns?” Cameron Kasky, a student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, tweeted Thursday.
Senators, I must respectfully ask,
If the 17 brave eagles at my school who lost their lives to a gunman wielding an assault rifle were a dog on an airplane, would you finally talk about guns?
— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) March 15, 2018
Kasky appeared to be referencing recent action taken by some senators following reports a French bulldog died after a United flight attendant forced a passenger to put the dog in the overhead bin.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., sent a letter to the president of United Airlines asking for an explanation about animals that have died while in the company’s care. A recent report from the Department of Transportation found a higher number of animals on air transportation died while flying with United as compared to other airlines.
Kennedy and Sen. Cortez Masto, D-Nev., also introduced a bill Thursday that calls for the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a regulation barring animals from being stored in overhead compartment. Under the legislation, those who violate the rule would face civil fines.
In the wake of the shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, students mobilized to urge their elected officials at the state and federal level to pass stricter gun laws.
Thousands of students across the country walked out of their schools Wednesday to push for more stringent gun laws.
The Florida legislature passed a gun control bill last week, and Congress has been debating recent measures aimed at curbing gun violence.
The House passed the STOP School Violence Act on Wednesday, which allows the Justice Department to administer grants to train students, school personnel and law enforcement to recognize signs a person is a threat to themselves or others.
The bill also allocates money for security improvements for schools, including metal detectors, stronger locks and technologies to tell law enforcement of emergencies.
The legislation now heads to the Senate.
