On Could 24, round 11:30 a.m., a gunman opened fireplace on Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde.
I used to be midway by means of a gathering in El Paso on the time, about 500 miles from the place this despicable crime was going down. My telephone rang — a message alerting me that photographs had been fired on campus. I instantly known as the Uvalde sheriff, who confirmed the active-shooter state of affairs. With out hesitation, I jumped in my truck and made the eight-hour drive to Uvalde.
In tightknit communities, if one individual loses a baby, it’s everybody’s loss. The air was thick with desperation as quickly as I stepped into city. Everybody locally sought solutions. Was their baby concerned? Who was accountable? The place can we go from right here?
Not a lot was clear within the quick aftermath, however I used to be decided to search out out.
For the following a number of weeks, my crew and I have been primarily based out of Uvalde, gathering info and exhibiting up for no matter wanted to be performed. From visiting with the victims’ households to assembly with native officers to securing cots, meals and beds for regulation enforcement from out of city, I used to be there to serve.
The extra I realized concerning the neighborhood’s wants, the extra I spotted how weak they have been. For instance, the Uvalde emergency operations heart is situated in a World Battle II airplane hangar. It leaks, {the electrical} wiring is defective, house is proscribed, and the expertise is greater than a technology outdated. Lots of of regulation enforcement officers are anticipated to mount a response from right here at any given time, but they may as properly be figuring out of a warehouse.
That’s not all. The radio system that 1000’s of first responders use is outdated. Not solely do regulation enforcement businesses have bother working on the identical radio community, however they’re confronted with a number of lifeless spots the place service is nonexistent.
Essentially the most regarding want in Uvalde is the dearth of psychological well being assets. The closest inpatient facility within the space is greater than two hours away. Counselors are scarce.
This can be a troubling actuality. Communities throughout America are severely underserved relating to psychological well being. That statistic is even worse in Texas, which ranked final in entry to care in a 2022 report by Psychological Well being America. The Uvalde shooter demonstrated clear indicators of psychological sickness that have been acknowledged by neighborhood members however by no means reported or handled.
Moreover, as experiences of the incident started to floor, it turned clear that faculty safety was a difficulty at Robb Elementary, like many different campuses throughout the nation. For instance, the gunman accessed the varsity by means of an open again door that ought to have been locked.
I’m a father of six youngsters, and this horrible occasion hit near dwelling. Because the congressman who represents Uvalde, I’ve been centered on delivering actual change.
For starters, my crew has labored onerous to assist establish and advocate for federal grants that profit Uvalde. Eleven days after the tragedy, my crew helped Uvalde CISD safe $1.5 million in grant funding for psychological well being providers and faculty safety. I’ve additionally helped safe $2 million for a psychiatric facility in Uvalde and greater than $5 million for a brand new radio expertise system by means of my place on the Home Appropriations Committee. I requested President Joe Biden, when he got here to Uvalde, for a brand new emergency operations heart within the space.
Whereas I used to be in Uvalde, I used to be working with my crew in D.C. on laws that might assist forestall a tragedy like this from occurring once more in one among our communities. Lower than a month after the tragedy, I launched the Endeavor Wanted Investments in Remedy, Training and De-escalation, or UNITED, Act. This laws consists of urgently wanted funding to develop psychological well being providers, enhance disaster response and promote telehealth entry for Texans.
Shortly after, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, launched by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, got here to the Home flooring for a vote. This laws supplied the change we wanted by offering psychological well being and faculty security provisions that under no circumstances create new restrictions on law-abiding gun house owners. Regardless of pushback from my Republican colleagues, I knew I needed to vote for this laws as my accountability to my constituents and the key discrepancies I noticed on the bottom. That very same week, this laws was signed into regulation.
My subsequent precedence was to verify these {dollars} are coming again to my district as quickly as potential.
When you have ever handled the federal authorities, then you recognize nothing is simple. That’s why I’ve an individual on my workers solely devoted to serving to constituents apply for federal grants. And that’s simply what we did.
The second I acquired again to the Texas Congressional District 23, I frolicked assembly with faculty superintendents — 21 to be precise — to lift consciousness for the assorted grants that might be rolling out shortly. To double down, after we helped faculties with the applying course of, I’d observe up with a private letter of assist to the respective company from which they have been in search of cash.
In consequence, just lately, the Division of Justice awarded $1.2 million in funding for the Faculty Violence Prevention Applications to Uvalde CISD, Tornillo ISD, San Antonio ISD and Rocksprings ISD. These grants will assist institute security measures in and round faculties, present coaching to high school personnel and college students, implement evidence-based risk assessments, and fund analysis and analysis on the causes and penalties of college violence.
Whereas I’m proud to have delivered for my district, that is just the start. This tragedy has proven us what we are able to ship if we work collectively as Individuals, not Democrats or Republicans. From welcoming President Biden in Uvalde to bipartisan laws, we labored throughout the aisle for the security of our youngsters. This allowed us to not solely start the restoration course of in Uvalde however set a precedent for cities throughout the nation.
Congress ought to be a bottom-up, not top-down, method. Within the aftermath of Uvalde, the Uvalde County choose knowledgeable me that their emergency response system was virtually nonexistent, inflicting me to implement an answer to that downside. Going ahead, legislators ought to put their very own election apart and speak instantly with constituents to ship options.
If we are able to do this, we are able to make Congress a extra environment friendly establishment for all Individuals. That’s why I’ll proceed to spend numerous hours speaking with lecturers, college students, mother and father and neighborhood leaders till each mum or dad in my district feels protected sending their baby to high school.
Tony Gonzales, a Republican, represents Congressional District 23, which incorporates Uvalde.
