Gun Violence

Gun violence claims over 30,000 lives per year, including nearly 20,000 firearm-related suicides. Congress has done too little to curb gun violence, despite overwhelming support for such measures by Americans from all political backgrounds.

Preventing gun violence is a major priority for me in Congress. I strongly believe we should enact laws requiring a background check on every gun sale to help keep guns out of the hands of criminals. During the 117th Congress, I was proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most important gun safety legislation signed into law in three decades. This historic bipartisan effort included measures modeled on legislation I have championed since taking office to promote extreme risk protection orders, also known as "red flag" laws, which empower family members and law enforcement to petition a judge for a warrant to remove guns from those who demonstrate a serious threat to themselves or others. 

I also support enacting restrictions on weapons designed for the battlefield, which are frequently used in the mass shootings that have claimed so many lives in schools, hospitals, theaters, malls, and places of worship. Additionally, I am the proud sponsor of the ATF Improvement and Modernization Act, which would remove restrictions that currently prevent the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms from protecting the public from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal use and trafficking of firearms.

None of these measures by themselves would completely end gun violence in America, but each of them has the power to save lives. I will continue to push for these and other gun violence reforms in the House of Representatives.