Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Drove Over One Million Calls & Messages to Congress in Recent Weeks
WASHINGTON — Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements today after the U.S. House passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a historic gun safety, mental health, and school safety bill. The bill has already been passed by a bipartisan majority in the Senate, and now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk — who has expressed his strong support — for his signature.
“The 26-year logjam in Congress has finally been broken, and the American people are safer for it. It’s fitting that the House, which has been ahead of the curve when it comes to passing gun safety legislation, is the last stop for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act before it heads to the President’s desk,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re grateful to Speaker Pelosi and the gun sense majority in the House for their commitment to making every community safe from the scourge of gun violence, and we look forward to working with them to pass more common-sense gun legislation.”
“Our grassroots army has been organizing for this moment for nearly a decade and today is proof that progress is possible,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “The fight to end this gun violence epidemic is far from over, but this bill will save lives and we’re proud to see it so close to the finish line.”
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.
- 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.