House Judiciary Committee Prioritizes Gun Violence Legislation In Wake of Mass Shootings and Rising Incidents of Gun Violence
Washington, DC — Giffords, the gun violence prevention group led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, applauds the House Judiciary Committee for advancing multiple provisions to address gun violence today. The Committee markup of H.R. 7910, The Protecting Our Kids Act, was an historic moment for the House. In the wake of multiple mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, and amidst the never-ending toll of everyday gun violence plaguing communities across the country, Giffords is heartened by the House Judiciary Committee’s swift action to prioritize a broad range of gun violence prevention provisions.
Nico Bocour, Giffords Government Affairs Director:
“Today, the House Judiciary Committee took an important step forward in the fight to end gun violence in America. Our nation is still reeling from the mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo that claimed the lives of 31 people, including 19 children. The toll of gun violence on our communities cannot be overstated. Every day in the United States, 114 people are shot to death. With gun deaths at their highest levels in years, it is imperative that our elected leaders take swift, decisive action to address this epidemic.
“We commend Representatives Nadler, Thompson, and Jackson-Lee for leading the effort on the Protecting Our Kids Act and applaud the House Judiciary Committee for voting to approve this measure. We urge Members of the House to support this lifesaving legislation and make clear that our elected leaders are focused on protecting public safety and keeping communities safe from future tragedies.”
The Protecting Our Kids Act (H.R. 7910) is a package of the following policies:
- Raise the Age Act: Raise the federal minimum age to buy assault-style rifles from 18 to 21 years old.
- Prevent Gun Trafficking Act: Create a federal firearms trafficking statute and eliminate financial incentives for gun traffickers.
- Untraceable Firearms Act: Prohibits the manufacture and sale of firearms without serial numbers, requires any person or business engaged in the business of selling firearms kits and unfinished receivers to obtain a dealer’s license and conduct background checks on purchasers
- Ethan’s Law: Helps states pass child access prevention (CAP) laws and requires gun owners to safely store firearms in their home so that children and residents who are prohibited cannot access them.
- Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act: Ensures that those who fail to properly store firearms when a child or a resident who is prohibited is present are held accountable if the child or resident gets access and injury or death results.
- Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act: Supports public education about the safe storage of firearms and provides a new tax credit for the retail sale of a safe firearm storage device.
- Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act: Regulates bump stocks like machine guns under the National Firearms Act.
- Keep Americans Safe Act: Bans the manufacture and sale of large capacity magazines, which hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
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