Last Sunday, Delawareans and Americans across the country awoke to the horrifying and tragic news of the worst mass shooting in the nation’s history – a crime that the President appropriately called “an act of terror and an act of hate.” Victims were largely from the LGBT community. To Delaware’s LGBT community, we stand with you. To Camp Rehoboth and Haven at University of Delaware, thank you for standing strong and providing comfort.

We will remain vigilant to ensure protections against discrimination remain strong and undeniable. To Delaware’s Muslim community: thank you for speaking out against the perpetrator of this murder and for making it clear that your community stands strong against this perversion of your religion. We will not impose religious tests on admittance to our country. The Orlando shooting is yet another reminder of the frightening frequency of mass shootings.

We have taken steps to make our state safer by requiring the reporting of lost and stolen firearms and expanding background checks to private gun sales. But we can do more. That includes denying those on terror watch lists from acquiring weapons and ensuring that authorities have sufficient time to conduct background checks. By recognizing that we are stronger together, when we present a united front and take responsible steps to keep people safe while protecting everyone’s natural rights, we keep Delaware moving forward.

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