Pence In Detroit: 'School Safety Now Top Priority'
DETROIT (WWJ) - Vice President Mike Pence was in Detroit Friday to speak about taxes at an event organized by the group America First Policies at the Westin Book Cadillac.
But following the news of the day with the campus shooting at Central Michigan University, Pence opened his speech with remarks about school safety.
"As a nation we mourn with those who mourn, and we grieve with those who grieve," Pence said. "And I know I speak on behalf of everyone here when I say that today and every day we're going to continue to pray. Continue to pray for all the victims and their families from all these terrible events.
Pence vouched that school safety is now the No. 1 priority of the Trump administration.
HAPPENING NOW... noting the shootings at CMU today @MikePenceVP opens a visit to Detroit with a pledge that "school safety is now the top priority of the Trump administration." Details to come @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/ZuZF3PSftR
— Jon Hewett (@JonHewettWWJ) March 2, 2018
"I'll make you a promise, Michigan," Pence said. "Working with federal and state leaders, we're going to take strong action to strengthen background checks."
Pence's discussion on school and gun safety comes amid a recent string of school shootings and threats all across the country in the wake of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead. On Friday, the Macomb County Sheriff's Office announced yet another shooting threat at a local high school, leaving an 18-year-old student facing felony charges.
"This president, this administration will not rest until we make our schools safe again," he said.
On top of promising stronger background checks in the process of buying firearms, Pence also pledged that the administration will "work to give families the tools they need to deal with those struggling with dangerous mental illness."
As the event's discussion was initially intended to focus on taxes, Pence did say that American taxpayers can expect, on average, an additional $4,000 in their incomes following the Trump administration's recent tax cuts.
Pence told the crowd that he is "pleased to report" that "the first year of this administration has been a year of action."
"It's been a year of results, in a word, it's been a year of promises made and promises kept," Pence said.