WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — President Joe Biden was the keynote speaker at the National Safer Communities Summit at the University of Hartford, commemorating one year since he signed the first federal gun safety legislation in decades.
About 600 people were at UHart’s Lincoln Theater for the summit. The event was not open to the public.
Biden arrived at Bradley later than planned around 1:15 p.m. before making his way to West Hartford.
President Biden's address
President Biden highlighted the parts of the bipartisan Safer Communities Act that passed in congress and was signed into law around this time last year.
"One year ago, we did come together, we did hear the call from too many families," Biden said. "I met with every single family, you know what they say, almost the same phrase. They say 'Do something.' And the response usually was, 'My prayers are with you.' Your prayers are fine, they're important, but it’s not going to stop it. You have to take action, you have to move, you have to do something."
He also applauded the crowd, full of members from multiple anti-gun violence organizations, for the progress they have made.
"Look at the movement you’ve built, look at the people you’ve helped elect. Look at all the progress you made at state houses. Look at all of the mothers organizing around the country, look at all the young people...They’re speaking for a whole generation. And they will not be ignored, they will not be shunned, they will not be silent," Biden said.\
Connecticut, national leaders speak at conference
Gov. Ned Lamont, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy welcomed the crowd to the summit, thanking them for raising their voices to Congress and inciting change.
"It showed us that after decades of inaction that progress is possible," Bronin said.
A year ago, Congress passed the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the biggest gun safety legislation in over 30 years.
"You notice the NRA, the gun lobby, fought this bill tooth and nail. Every other gun rights group lobbied hard against it. But it still passed with broad bipartisan support, and that is an outcome that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago," Murphy said.
Even with this passage on the federal level, Connecticut's leaders tout the Nutmeg State's work at the forefront.
"You know what you do as a movement? You keep moving, you're never satisfied, there's more we can do to keep you safe, to keep our communities safe, and I love the fact that Connecticut is a leader," Lamont said.
"This summit is a small show of this movement’s collective power, and when we work together, we are the strongest," Murphy said. "We should do it more often."
"We've seen Connecticut stay at the forefront of common sense gun laws in our country," Bronin said, and added, "You have made this progress possible, and we are going to continue that progress today."
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, a Meriden native, also spoke at the Summit. He recounted being the principal of Hanover Elementary in Meriden when the Sandy Hook tragedy took place, as well as when he went to Uvalde, Texas as the Secretary of Education, nearly a decade later.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and former U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords also addressed the crowd prior to Biden's speech.
Small crowd of protesters outside U of H campus
A group of anti-Biden protesters waited for hours at the gate of the University of Hartford for President Joe Biden to arrive.
The group carried signs and one carried a flag with an obscenity, demonstrating against the president and his policies.
The President's Schedule
According to the White House:
11:00 AM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
11:30 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Windsor Locks
12:40 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks
2:05 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at the National Safer Communities Summit University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut
3:25 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Windsor Locks en route to Greenwich,
Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks
4:05 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Greenwich
Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York
5:15 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a campaign reception
Greenwich
6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Greenwich en route to Joint Base Andrews Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York
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