WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation grapples with how to prevent mass shootings, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is telling lawmakers about the harm those tragedies inflict on communities.

Brown testified before a House Committee Tuesday, discussing how the shooting in his city on May 14 had ripple effects beyond the victims' families.

A racially-motivated attack at Tops in East Buffalo left 10 people dead and three others injured. But Brown says the impact goes beyond that incident, affecting whether businesses choose to invest in the area and even how local kids perform in school.

Brown also says the government needs to provide relief to those communities if lawmakers won't take drastic action on gun control.

"In addition to the emotional and trauma impact, there's also a significant financial impact,” he said. “I want Congress to understand that. I want the American people to understand that. And I am hoping communities that suffer mass shootings will get specific financial assistance from the federal government."

In the wake of the shooting, local organizations worked for weeks in the community, providing everything from groceries to mental health services free of charge.

Brown was also in Washington last week for the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. He called it an important bill, but emphasized more needs to be done.