Press Releases
House Passes Historic Gun Violence Prevention Package to Protect Communities and Children
Washington, D.C.,
June 24, 2022
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) voted for bipartisan legislation that takes historic steps to combat gun violence and protect our communities and children. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help save lives by keeping weapons out of dangerous hands, strengthening mental health services, and bolstering school safety. This is the first major gun violence prevention package passed by Congress in nearly three decades and will now head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “Today, we passed our nation’s first major gun violence prevention bill in nearly three decades,” said DelBene. “I have heard from many constituents who are angry and heartbroken by this gun violence epidemic, which continues to take innocent lives and devastate families and communities across the country. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement commonsense measures to curb the violence and keep weapons away from those who pose a danger to themselves and others.” Gun violence in America is responsible for more than 45,000 deaths per year, including 864 a year in Washington. Communities across the nation have been torn apart by nearly 300 mass shootings in this year alone. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will implement commonsense, bipartisan measures to protect America’s children, keep our communities safe, and curb gun violence across our country, including:
“Over and over, House Democrats have voted for bold and comprehensive action to combat gun violence,” continued DelBene. “The passage of this package is a key step forward, but we must continue to do more to protect our communities and children. I remain committed to fighting for additional gun violence prevention legislation that will help end this crisis.” A summary of the legislation can be found here.
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