Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul in Response to Congressional Testimony from Buffalo Residents

"For two days our country has heard in painstaking detail from people impacted by gun violence. Many of those who testified are my neighbors in the City of Buffalo, people like Zeneta Everhart, the mother of a young man who miraculously survived the shooting, and Garnell Whitfield Jr., who tragically lost his mother to this senseless act of gun violence. Survivors, family members, law enforcement and medical professionals came together to share their individual stories and make a unified plea to Washington: it's time to act.

"That's why I'm calling on Congress to pass new nationwide gun safety laws, including raising the age to purchase semi-automatic weapons. We are doing everything in our power to stem the tide of gun violence here in New York but one state cannot solve this problem on its own. Though our hometown has already been torn apart, strong action at the federal level has the power to prevent future tragedies. At this pivotal moment Buffalo — and America — deserves nothing less."