Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, have launched a campaign to curb gun violence.
On the second anniversary of a mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, that killed six people and left Giffords critically wounded, the couple said their
Americans for Responsible Solutions initiative would help raise money to support greater gun control efforts.
Writing in the
USA Today newspaper, Giffords and Kelly wrote, "Achieving reforms to reduce gun violence and prevent mass shootings will mean matching gun lobbyists in their reach and resources."
"This country is known for using its determination and ingenuity to solve problems. ... But when it comes to protecting our communities from gun violence, we are not even trying - and for the worst of reasons,' they wrote.
The couple last week visited Newtown, Connecticut, where last month a gunman opened fire in an elementary school, killing 20 children and six adults. They also met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a gun control advocate.
The gunman in the Tucson shooting pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences plus 140 years.