Rashida Tlaib introduces bill to require gun locks for all firearm purchases
(CBS DETROIT) - Mia Reid says doing nothing to address gun violence should not be an option; it's an oath she took when her son was shot and killed 12 years ago.
"That is a devastating fact for me to live with," she said. "We can do something. We can do better."
Reid was among the speakers for a press conference at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit Friday, announcing the Safe Storage Saves Lives Act.
Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduced the bill in Congress.
Tlaib says it would require all gun sellers in the country to provide every person who buys a firearm with a gun lock.
"If used correctly, gun locks and similarly secured gun storage or safety devices make it impossible for a child to fire that gun," Tlaib said.
Guns are now the leading cause of death for children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Talib says many of those shootings are accidents.
"Just this last weekend, we all heard about the incident where a 2-year-old had gained access to an unsecured firearm and was tragically killed," she said.
Tlaib's proposal comes after Michigan lawmakers recently passed several bills on gun reform, including safe storage.
The congresswoman calls the issue of gun violence a public health crisis. She says proper gun storage is a cheap price to pay for what gun violence continues to cost people across the country.
"We must act, and I know this bill will save lives. We can prevent more death through proper gun storage and locks and create safety measures in place with this bill, Tlaib said.