Originally published in Daily Local News

By MediaNews Group

WEST CHESTER — U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-6, on Sunday joined Michelle Roberson to welcome the cyclists of Team 26, a group riding from Newtown, Conn., to Pittsburgh, to honor the lives lost at Sandy Hook, at the Tree of Life Synagogue, and around the country to senseless gun violence.

The cyclists stopped at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in West Chester in a brief rally as a tribute to Bianca Roberson, Michelle’s daughter who was shot and killed during a senseless road rage incident. Michelle Roberson attended this year’s State of the Union with Houlahan and was present at Houlahan's gun violence prevention roundtable.

“I am here this morning with my friend, Michelle Roberson, less than 24 hours after the shooting at Chabad of Poway,” said Houlahan. “We are proud to welcome the Team 26 riders and are grateful for their tribute to Bianca. Michelle attended this year's State of the Union with me, and I have risen on the House Floor to honor her daughter, Bianca. In the House, I cosponsored and helped pass H.R. 8. The Senate owes it to the American people it serves to take action and pass H.R. 8. We in Congress must use the power of legislation to enact commonsense gun reform and work toward preventing gun violence.”

H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She’s in her first term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.