Giffords Welcomes Former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell as Senior Advisor
As Giffords gears up for gun safety efforts in the Senate, former congresswoman and survivor adds powerful voice
Washington DC — Today Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced that former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will be joining its team as a senior advisor. Former Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell served as Vice-Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force during her recent term in Congress, where she led successful efforts to pass the first gun safety legislation through the House of Representatives in 25 years. Giffords welcomes her leadership and expertise as the organization prepares to fight for the passage of universal background checks in the Senate following the recent passage of H.R. 8 in the House of Representatives.
The first South American-born immigrant ever elected to Congress, former Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell flipped a diverse, majority-minority district in South Florida in 2018. After her father was killed in a gun homicide in Ecuador, Mucarsel-Powell dedicated her life to advocating for commonsense gun reform, driven by the desire to prevent other families from enduring the tragedy that hers endured.
“When I was 24 years old, my life was forever changed because of gun violence. My father didn’t have the chance to walk me down the aisle or meet my beautiful children, because his life was stolen far too soon,” said former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. “I have so much admiration for Gabby Giffords and the work her organization has done to save lives from gun violence and change the conversation around gun safety in America. I’m thrilled to join Giffords and play a part in enacting change to make our communities safer.”
“Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is all too familiar with the pain and trauma inflicted by gun violence,” said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. “She turned her outrage into action by advocating for safer communities as a US Representative. I couldn’t be more thrilled that she is joining Giffords for this next stage in her career. Our country is so close to achieving lasting change on this issue, and with Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell’s help, I know we’ll get there.”
“We’re gearing up for the fight of our lives, and we’re so grateful to have former Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell in our corner,” said Giffords Executive Director Peter Ambler. “In recent years, the conversation around gun safety has shifted significantly both in the Beltway and around the country. Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell has played an important role in that shift. From her lived experience to her passionate commitment to justice to her policy acumen, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is a true gun safety champion.”
While in Congress, Mucarsel-Powell focused on foreign affairs, education, healthcare policy, environmental sustainability, and gun violence prevention. She introduced legislation to hold gun dealers accountable for straw purchases and advocated for closing loopholes that allow individuals convicted of domestic violence from purchasing a gun. In 2019, Mucarsel-Powell was a co-sponsor of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which was recently re-introduced and passed the House of Representatives.