WASHINGTON -- Survivors of the Parkland, Florida school shooting were honored in Washington Tuesday for their efforts on gun control.
- March For Our Lives honored with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award
- Awards honored youth activists
The March For Our Lives movement received this year's Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, one of several groups to get the award this year, many of which were centered around youth activists.
It’s been nearly four months since the Parkland shooting, and while Congress has passed legislation related to school safety, there’s been no movement on any bills related to guns at the federal level, something the Parkland students want to change.
The students are embarking on a 60-day, 20-state bus tour to campaign and register young people to vote. They also plan to be active in all of Florida's congressional districts this election season.
"Increasing the voter turnout rate in this country," said David Hogg with the March For Our Lives movement. "That's what we have to do to fix these issues. The people that are affected by these issues most tend to vote the least. We need to make sure they vote on these issues so we can elect morally-just leaders to serve our country and serve our people because right now they are not."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, met with the Parkland students at the ceremony Tuesday. He is currently working on legislation to create a computerized database of gun records. It's something the National Rifle Association has fiercely opposed, but Nelson is trying to convince Sen. Marco Rubio, his Republican counterpart in Florida, to get on board.
This week marks 50 years since Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. The awards ceremony Tuesday was put on by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, an organization to that advocates for youth involvement in creating a "more just and peaceful world."