CHICAGO – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy continued their push for tougher gun laws Friday, bringing along the parents of a girl whose shooting death in January put the city at the center of the national debate on firearms.

Nathaniel Pendleton said he was encouraged that the straw-purchase bill that is named after his daughter, Hadiya Pendleton, has a chance of becoming law after it was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

“I hate to say this because of my daughter, and I hate to be here for that reason,” said the father at a news conference at the police department headquarters, “but if something can come out of this, I’m grateful.”