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Everytown, Moms Demand Action Statements on Senate Vote Advancing Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

June 23, 2022

Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Drove Over One Million Calls & Messages to the U.S. Senate in Recent Weeks

Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, and Moms Demand Action Volunteers Available for Interviews at the U.S. Capitol Today

WASHINGTON — Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements today after a bipartisan supermajority in the U.S. Senate voted to advance the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a historic gun safety, mental health, and school safety bill.

If enacted, this would be the first major federal gun safety law in nearly 26 years. The bill will establish an enhanced background check process for gun buyers under age 21, provide federal funding to implement state Red Flag laws, disarm domestic abusers by addressing the dating partner loophole, and fund community violence intervention programs, among other items.

“With this vote, we’re one step closer to ending the deadly 26-year drought of meaningful Congressional action to address gun violence,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Gun safety is not only good policy, it’s good politics — and 65 Senators voting to advance this lifesaving bill is proof of that.”

“We’re on the cusp of the cathartic moment in Congress we’ve been waiting for for a generation, and it’s a monumental day for the gun violence prevention movement,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We’re encouraged to see such broad, bipartisan support for life-saving legislation and our grassroots army of volunteers will continue their work to get this bill across the finish line.”

  • ENHANCING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR BUYERS UNDER 21: Establishes an enhanced background check process and up to three business day investigative period for buyers under age 21 that will require checking with state law enforcement, local law enforcement, and either state or local courts before a sale proceeds. This strengthens current law that already stops a gun dealer from selling a handgun to a person under 21, and any gun to a person under 18.
  • SUPPORTING STATE RED FLAG LAWS: Provides $750 million in much-needed funding over the next five years to support crisis intervention services, including the implementation of state Red Flag laws. The bill will also unlock a well-established existing funding stream to support the implementation of Red Flag laws.
  • DISARMING DOMESTIC ABUSERS: Expands the current prohibition preventing convicted domestic abusers from buying or possessing guns to include not only those who abused their spouses, but also those who abused their dating partners. 
  • CLARIFYING WHO MUST RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK: Clarifies existing law on what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms, so that it is clearer when unlicensed people selling guns to strangers are required to obtain a Federal Firearms License and run background checks on all sales.
  • CRACKING DOWN ON GUN TRAFFICKING: Establishes the first ever federal laws against interstate gun trafficking and straw purchasing to stop the flow of illegal guns into cities.
  • FUNDING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION. The bill includes $250 million in dedicated funding for evidence-informed, community-based violence intervention programs that have been proven to reduce gun violence in the most affected communities using a public health approach.
  • INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND ACCESS: Provides critical resources to expand community mental health services for children and families, fund school-based mental health and supportive services, invest in telehealth mental health services to expand access, and invest in community crisis intervention programs.
  • PROVIDING SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING: Funds evidence-based school violence prevention efforts, training, and the implementation of safety measures at primary and secondary schools. 

Since the tragic shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, Everytown supporters, alongside gun violence survivors and Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers, have shown up in Washington, D.C., and in the home states of U.S. senators to call for action, sending over one million calls and messages to the U.S. Senate and dropping off tens of thousands of petitions at home state offices urging them to take bold action. In early June, Everytown and Moms Demand Action held more than 350 events across all 50 states for National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange Weekend. As Senators negotiated this bill earlier this month, Everytown and Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action held two rallies on Capitol Hill. Everytown also launched a $400,000 ad campaign targeting key U.S. senators.

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