Press Releases

Today is the fourth anniversary of the mass shooting in Isla Vista, California, which left six people dead and fourteen injured. That incident inspired legislation to enable families and law enforcement to act on warning signs before mass shootings, now called the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act, which received new attention and significant bipartisan support after the Parkland shooting.

Yet three months after Parkland, and in the face of another mass shooting at a school in Santa Fe, Texas, Congress still has not taken up this or any major legislation to address gun violence. Florida, Maryland, Vermont and Delaware have enacted gun violence restraining order laws (three of which were signed by Republican Governors). Similar bills are nearing passage in New York and Massachusetts. Yet there has been no action at the federal level.

Representative Beyer today sent a letter to House leaders calling for action on bipartisan gun legislation, along with Representatives Salud Carbajal, Mike Thompson, and Debbie Dingell. The Members wrote:

“Today, we write to urge that Congress take sensible action and enact bipartisan gun safety measures that have the potential to save lives and prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands.”

The Members went on to ask Speaker Ryan to allow votes on four different bills, including the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act, which have bipartisan support in Congress.

Rep. Beyer also took part in the gun violence hearing in the Capitol this afternoon with high school students, some of whom were themselves survivors of mass shootings. It was a glimpse of the kind of conversation to inform legislative action that might result from the establishment of a House Committee on Gun Violence, the creation of which Rep. Beyer supports.

Rep. Beyer has been a vocal advocate for legislation to prevent gun violence since taking office in 2015. He is a lead on the Gun Violence Restraining Order Act, which would help states set up gun violence restraining order laws. Beyer is an original cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban, and cosponsors of bills to expand background checks on firearm purchases and restore CDC funding into research on gun violence. He was also a leading critic of legislation to deregulate silencers and override state concealed carry laws following the Congressional Baseball Practice shooting in Alexandria, VA, which he presents.