Rep. Lucy McBath: Gun Violence Real National Emergency

A first-year congresswoman who lost her son to gun violence said Friday the national crisis that exists has to do with gun deaths, not a border wall.

Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., was on CNN a few hours before President Donald Trump declared a national emergency that will allow him to use discretionary funds to build more border barrier between the United States and Mexico.

"In my mind, there really is a national emergency. People continue to die every single day. We know that we've got over 100 people in this country that die unnecessarily to gun violence every single day," McBath said. "That is a public health crisis. That is a national emergency. Not a wall."

McBath noted that she would like Congress to tackle the issue of gun violence and balked at the idea of Trump issuing an executive order on the subject.

"Most definitely, I would want it to go through Congress. Let's make sure that all the checks and balances are put in place, let's make sure the democracy works the way that it is supposed to," she said.

McBath's son was shot and killed in 2012 at age 17 after an argument with a man over loud music playing in his car.

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