Statement by the Vice President on the Passing of Sarah Brady

Jill and I were sorry to hear of the passing of our friend Sarah Brady. I had the opportunity to speak with her backstage at her husband Jim’s memorial just last October, and it was evident that the grace, dignity and determination that characterized them both was as strong as ever—as was the love they shared. 

Together, they faced tragedy and turned it into action. I don’t remember ever seeing them apart after the assassination attempt that took Jim’s mobility but not his drive. They worked the halls of Congress together, stopping Members of Congress and Senators and making their case as a team. Sarah wasn’t just by Jim’s side as his caretaker and lifelong love—she was a force unto herself, determined to make America a safer place for her children and ours. They forged, through painstaking effort, a bipartisan consensus for simple common sense. And they saved lives. Countless lives.

It was a profound honor to work with Jim and Sarah on the Brady Bill and other efforts to keep guns out the hands those who would harm themselves or others, including those who commit domestic violence.

Sarah and Jim’s legacy will live on in the laws they passed together, the organization they built together, the lives they saved together, and the family they raised together. The hearts of all the Bidens go out to Scott and Missy and the entire Brady family in this difficult time.