Matthew McConaughey Appears at White House Press Briefing

Uvalde, Texas native Matthew McConaughey gave an impassioned, emotional speech at the White House on Tuesday, two weeks after 19 students and two teachers were killed during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. McConaughey urged lawmakers to take more action on gun control after he spent the past week with victims' families in his hometown. He brought artwork by the deceased students to show, as well as a pair of Converse shoes worn by one of the victims used to identify her body.

McConaughey wanted to share the stories of the students' lives to show that action needed to be taken to honor their memory. "You know what every one of these parents wanted, what they asked us for? What every parent separately expressed in their own way to Camila and me? That they want their children's dreams to live on," the Oscar-winner said. "That they want their children's dreams to continue, to accomplish something after they are gone. They want to make their loss of life matter."

The actor went on to say there is now a "window of opportunity" to pass gun legislation reform. McConaughey hoped that Congress would pass universal background checks, raise the age limit for buying AR-15 rifles to 21, put red flag laws in place, and add a waiting period for buying AR-15-style rifles, notes CNN.

"These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools and homes," McConaughey said. "Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. These regulations are not a step back — they're a step forward for a civil society and, and the Second Amendment."

McConaughey didn't speak generally about the victims. He shared detailed stories about their dreams for the future. One wanted to study marine biology, while another was excited to read a Bible verse at church. Another dreamed of going to Paris for art school. He pointed out that the AR-15-style left such "exceptionally large exit wounds" that the students could only be identified with DNA tests or by the green Converse shoes he brought.

"Many children were left not only dead but hollow. So, yes, counselors are going to be needed in Uvalde for a long time," McConaughey said. "We got to take a sober, humble, and honest look in the mirror and rebrand ourselves based on what we truly value. What we truly value. We got to get some real courage and honor our immortal obligations instead of our party affiliations."

"Enough with the counterpunching. Enough of the invalidation of the other side. Let's come to the common table that represents the American people," McConaughey continued. "Find a middle ground, the place where most of us Americans live anyway. Especially on this issue. Because I promise you, America, you and me, we are not as divided as we are being told we are."

While McConaughey was in Washington, he briefly met with President Joe Biden, White Hosue press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. The Dallas Buyers Club star also met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and had a meeting scheduled with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy later Tuesday.

Before McConaughey, who considered running for Texas Governor last year, traveled to Washington, he published an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman in which he also called for new gun control legislation. "There is a difference between control and responsibility," the actor wrote. "The first is a mandate that can infringe on our right; the second is a duty that will preserve it. There is no constitutional barrier to gun responsibility. Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people is not only the responsible thing to do, it is the best way to protect the Second Amendment. We can do both."