U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-13) met with members of Oakland violence prevention program Youth ALIVE! (YA!) on June 3,2022, a few days before she spoke about the impact of guns on the House floor in Washington, D.C.

Lee toured YA!, one of several local projects that receive federal funding, as National Gun Violence Awareness Month kicked off.

The meeting at 3300 Elm St. occurred less than two weeks after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which attracted worldwide attention and brought new focus to gun control conversations. While the visit mainly focused on Lee introducing herself to the staff and touring the building, the recent shooting was not far from anyone's mind.

In America, school shootings have become common — 27 have happened this year alone. The amount of guns in the U.S. is significant, with the Pew Research Center estimating in 2021 that 1 in 4 U.S. adults live in a household with one.

They happen so often that think pieces about the public becoming "desensitized to murder" exist in abundance. And gun law reforms are rare and far between. While the House passed a significant gun control bill on June 8,2022, its chances of becoming law are slim, considering its lack of bipartisan support. It passed just barely, by an almost exact party line of 223-204.

Lee was one of those in support of the Protecting Our Kids Act, a strong legislative package that would save lives across the nation as well as protect East Bay communities from gun violence. It includes common-sense gun safety measures that will crack down on illegal gun trafficking, keep weapons of war out of the hands of teenagers, strengthen safe gun storage, restrict access to untraceable "ghost guns" and more.

Lee told YA! staff, who were concerned about the surge of gun violence in Oakland, that she believes we'll be living in a period marked by gun violence for some time.

While speaking with a few of the program's clients, she stated that while progress toward an anti-gun future is important, so is "getting through that first phase."

When asked by the Post how long it might take until serious gun reform happens, Lee said, "hopefully not as long as it's taken just to get to this point." Lee elaborated, "I want to see a full ban on assault weapons, I want all steps taken to address the problem."

Lee's concern was reflected in her remarks to Congress on Thursday. "Gun violence is responsible for more than 32,000 deaths each year. This is a heartbreaking moment for so many of us. This is a public health crisis in our country. It's an epidemic. The victims of Buffalo and Uvalde, Tulsa, and other mass shootings, they — they deserve more than our thoughts and our prayers.

"Last week, I met with young gun violence survivors in my district. They spoke powerfully about the cycle of violence and easy access to guns, especially ghost guns. And they talked about the trauma endured by themselves, their families, and their communities...This bill responds to their call by raising the age for purchase of certain firearms."

A recent poll by the Washington Post found that 62% of Americans agree with Lee, and support banning semiautomatic weapons such as the infamous AR-15s.

However, this general support does not equate to bipartisan support. Only 31% of Republicans said the same, and only 29% favored tougher gun laws in general.

Despite this clear divide, Lee said she "wasn't pessimistic" about potential reform. "Because we know what should be done, but we have to see this as a political struggle and hold members of congress accountable."

Rep. Barbara Lee's press office and Youth ALIVE! web site contributed to this report.