Amy Schumer and cousin Senator Charles join forces for stricter gun control

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The comedian and her U.S. Senator cousin stood on the steps of City Hall to continue their 'crusade on guns'
Schumer became an activist for the cause after a man opened fire in her movie Trainwreck
'It is something I live with every day' Schumer said of the shooting
'Schumer & Schumer' - as the cousins dub themselves - urged lawmakers to back a proposed gun control bill sponsored by the New York Democrat

By Associated Press and Kiri Blakeley For Dailymail.com

Published: 20:03 EST, 25 October 2015 | Updated: 00:36 EST, 26 October 2015

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When it comes to gathering support for major issues, Amy Schumer is at the cutting edge of influence.

The actress and comic has more than 2million Twitter followers and nearly as many on Facebook and Instagram.

Her cousin, Senator Charles Schumer, knows that. (Her father is the senator's second cousin.)

On Sunday, the famous relatives stood in front of New York's City Hall for what they call their 'crusade on guns.'

It started in August, when the two teamed up days after a gunman fatally shot two women in a Louisiana theater showing her hit movie Trainwreck.

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Comedian Amy Schumer and her cousin, Senator Charles Schumer of New York, stood in front of City Hall on Sunday (pictured) to call for stricter gun control measures in New York

Schumer embraces Sarah Clements (above), the daughter of a Sandy Hook school massacre survivor on Sunday as she and cousin Sen. Charles Schumer called for stricter gun control measures. Clements penned an open letter to Schumer shortly after the Trainwreck shooting and the two joined forces

The outspoken comedian and actress, pictured last week at LAX airport, says the fact that a man in Lafayette, Louisiana chose her movie Trainwreck to unleash a mass murder is 'something I live with every day'

Sen. Charles Schumer tweeted his follows to join him and his cousin, Amy, in their battle to tighten gun control

Schumer related that the issue of gun violence became 'extremely personal' for her when John Russell Houser - whose name she refused to say - stood up about 20 minutes into a showing of her movie Trainwreck at The Grand Theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, and unleashed a fusillade of bullets, killing two women, and injuring nine people.

The victims were Mayci Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33. Police described the 59-year-old Houser as a 'drifter,' according to EW.com.

Schumer emotionally recounted the crime during the press conference, saying 'On Thursday, July 23rd, a man sat down for my movie, Trainwreck. I don't know why he picked my movie. It is something I live with every day.'

'This man shouldn't have been able to put his hands on a gun in the first place,' she added.

'Schumer & Schumer' - as the cousins whimsically dub themselves - urged lawmakers to back a proposed gun control bill sponsored by the New York Democrat.

It would close the loophole allowing weapons to be sold without background checks at gun shows and online; fill gaps in the background check system itself; and stop arms trafficking of weapons across state lines.

On October 10, Amy Schumer hosted Saturday Night Live - above she appears with Taran Killam in a sketch that poked fun of lax gun control laws

In New York City, 85 percent of guns used in crimes come from out of state, the senator said.

The two Schumers want Americans to call, write, tweet, post on Facebook and march to stop gun violence.

They say that could create a groundswell forcing a vote early next year.

On Sunday, Amy Schumer introduced the hashtag #AimingForChange to give people a voice across social media.

Earlier this month she featured a parody sketch making fun of America's gun laws during her debut on Saturday Night Live.

At Sunday's press conference, Amy asked for 'better, more sensible gun control laws.'

She said: 'We're here today to say enough is enough to mass shootings in our schools, our college campuses, our military bases and even in our motive theaters. These shootings have got to stop.'

She also touched on the issue of help for mental illness, saying, 'We can stop the sale of firearms to folks with a violent history or a history of mental illness. We can invest more in treating mental illness instead of slashing funding.'

The senator believes at least 40 other senators support him, but he hopes for votes from the 60 needed to pass a bill.