North Miami-Dade News

PARKLAND, FL - Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart issued the following statement after visiting the site of the Parkland Shooting:

"Over the past five years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Max Schachter, a man of incredible strength and resilience, who tragically lost his son, Alex, on February 14, 2018. Today, I proudly stand by Max, who has transformed his grief into powerful advocacy and tangible results. Together, we walked through the halls of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s 1200 building.

As a Member of Congress, school safety remains a top legislative priority, and I am unwavering in my commitment to creating safer classrooms for our students, teachers, and administrators. I have focused on several key areas, including implementing safety hardening measures and providing law enforcement response training. Furthermore, I also introduced legislation to have School Resource Officers in every school nationwide and collaborated in a bipartisan and bicameral manner to develop a comprehensive school safety training program with the U.S. Secret Service. It is imperative to empower school personnel and local law enforcement with advanced technology, fortified security measures, comprehensive safety assessments, and essential training. By taking these proactive steps, we can create safer learning environments for our children and communities.

I extend my sincerest appreciation to former Congressman Ted Deutch and now Congressman Jared Moskowitz, for their continuous work in a bipartisan spirit to secure vital resources for school safety. We must continue working to ensure that every community has the tools to identify, deter, and effectively respond to any potential threats.

I look forward to continuing collaborative efforts with my esteemed colleagues in safeguarding the well-being of our children and the sanctity of our schools."

Original source can be found here.