Alderman Pat Dowell, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 1st District, said “There has been a rash of gun violence in 1st Congressional District in the last weeks – two young mothers have been killed, and children have been shot. This is happening in part because too many guns are on our streets. We must close loopholes in gun laws that allow purchases at gun shows and transportation of guns across state lines. In Congress, I will work to protect our neighborhoods by pushing the US Justice Department to prosecute illegal gun dealers and traffickers and work with the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide more trauma-informed care programs. I will bring to DC the experience of working in a legislative body to build coalitions to solve problems and hold government agencies accountable to the people.