WASHINGTON — This week, as part of the Gun Violence Prevention Week of Action, members of Congress participated in in-district events across the country to highlight the life-saving impact of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). This landmark law — the first major gun safety legislation to pass Congress in nearly 30 years — takes a comprehensive approach to solving our complex gun violence epidemic by strengthening our laws and investing billions of dollars in evidence-informed solutions.
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) joined the Nevada Moms Demand Action chapter in Las Vegas, where he was presented with Everytown’s Federal Gun Sense Lawmaker of the Year award for his leadership on securing federal funding for community violence intervention programs.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Nanette Barragan (CA-44) held a roundtable discussion on addressing America’s gun violence epidemic, which was moderated by Everytown Federal Counsel Jack Budish.
Rep. Wiley Nickel (NC-13) joined Students Demand Action leader Mitchell Pinsky and North Carolina Moms Demand Action volunteers for a town hall meeting to discuss gun violence prevention following the UNC shooting in Chapel Hill.
Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) joined Everytown Managing Director of Community Safety Initiatives Michael-Sean Spence to highlight community violence intervention programs as a critical piece of addressing gun violence in Newark.
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) held an event to highlight efforts in San Jose to address gun violence and how BSCA is bolstering those efforts.
Since the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, hundreds of illegal gun sales have been blocked thanks to the enhanced background checks for those under 21. The Departments of Health and Human Services and Education have already delivered more than $1.5 billion to states and communities to make our schools safer, improve access to mental health services, and help young people deal with the trauma and grief resulting from gun violence.
The Department of Justice has awarded $200 million in grant funding for implementation of Red Flag laws and other crisis intervention programs plus another $100 million for community violence intervention programs. The background check system is now denying sales to abusive dating partners when the records are available and DOJ prosecutions for unlicensed gun dealing increased 52% year over year. Earlier this week, DOJ proposed a new rule to clarify the definition of who is engaged in the business of dealing firearms and close the online and gun show loophole. Additionally, DOJ has invested resources to investigate and prosecute violations of BSCA’s new provisions related to firearms trafficking and straw purchasing, and has already charged more than 100 defendants for violating these provisions and seized hundreds of firearms in connection with those cases.
