Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the country approaches the eighth anniversary of the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed 17 innocent lives, including 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, we remember the victims and their families.
Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, Dean of the Florida Delegation, continues to lead efforts to strengthen school safety measures as an original cosponsor of Congressman Burgess Owens’ (UT-4) Alyssa’s Act.
Congressman Díaz-Balart said, “I’m proud to continue my work in school safety, this time as co-sponsor of Alyssa’s Act, which will establish national school safety standards, including silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement.
I commend Rep. Owens for his commitment to education and safety initiatives and appreciate the opportunity to work alongside him, Alyssa’s parents, Lori and Ilan Alhadeff, and Max Schachter, father of Parkland shooting victim Alex Schachter, to make our schools safer for current and future generations.”
Congressman Owens said, “Our children are our future and our most important national resource. Alyssa’s Act will save lives, plain and simple. I am grateful for the bipartisan support we’ve gathered on this bill that would disseminate the best evidence-based practices, resources, and tools available to us to help keep our students safe in the hands of schools and districts across the country.”
Lori Alhadeff, CEO of Make Our Schools Safe said, “Alyssa’s Act sets clear, lifesaving standards for emergency response in our schools because when seconds matter, there is no time for confusion. Every classroom deserves a direct line to help. These standards are not optional they are the difference between chaos and coordination, between tragedy and lives saved.”
Max Schachter, Alex Schachter’s father and Founder & CEO of Safe Schools for Alex, said, “In an emergency, every second matters. During the Parkland school shooting, by the time law enforcement arrived 24 people had already been shot and/or killed—including Alyssa and my little boy, Alex. No family should ever endure that kind of loss. Every teacher needs the ability to immediately alert everyone on campus including law enforcement.
I am deeply grateful to Representatives Diaz-Balart and Owens for sponsoring Alyssa’s Law. I look forward to working with them to pass this very important piece of school safety legislation.”
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