DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement on this weekend’s mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio:

“Less than 24 hours. That was all it took for America to witness another mass shooting. Less than 24 hours for our nation to lose 29 lives. Less than 24 hours for two communities to be shattered. This must end. We must act. Enough is enough.

“Make no mistake: The bloodshed we saw in El Paso and Dayton this weekend was not inevitable. It is the price of inaction. And we must stop pretending that we are powerless to prevent these tragedies.

“Today, we will hear Republican lawmakers offer their ‘thoughts and prayers.’ We will hear them tell us not to ‘politicize the issue.’ We will hear them say that today is not the time to have an honest conversation about how we can end our nation’s epidemic of gun violence. We know this because we heard them say the exact same things after Virginia Beach, Thousand Oaks, Pittsburgh, and Annapolis. They said it after Sante Fe, Sutherland Springs, and Las Vegas. They said after Orlando the first time, and Orlando the second time. They said it after Aurora in Colorado and Aurora in Illinois. They said it after Ft. Lauderdale, Burlington, San Bernardino, Roseburg, and Chattanooga. They said it after Parkland, Newtown, Virginia Tech, and Columbine.

“The cruel indifference of the NRA and cowardice of Republican lawmakers must end. We must come together as Americans and demand action. We must hold our elected leaders accountable. And we must do everything in our power to prevent these tragedies from happening – again and again and again.

“Our hearts go out to the victims, families, first responders, and all those affected by the shootings in El Paso and Dayton. May we honor the lives we’ve lost by working to end gun violence once and for all.”