House Passes the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in a Historic Move to Address Gun Violence

Press Release

Today the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, by a vote of 234 to 193, sending this life-saving legislation to the President's desk. Once signed into law, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will become the most significant piece of gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years.

"Far too many Americans have been affected by the devastating consequences of gun violence, and today Congress finally acted to better protect our children, families, and communities. The entire country felt the collective pain when tragedy recently struck in Buffalo and Uvalde and we mourned the loss of 10 Black community members, two elementary school teachers, and 19 fourth graders who had their entire lives ripped away from them in senseless acts of violence. For years, as the country has faced mass shooting after mass shooting, Americans have demanded action to address gun violence. Finally, Congress is taking meaningful action on the issue.

"The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act makes real progress by addressing all forms of gun violence. From suicide and domestic violence to gun violence in our cities and mass shootings, this legislation creates commonsense gun safety regulations to tackle the problem from all angles. Unfettered access to firearms and weapons of war is the primary reason there is a gun violence crisis in our country. That's why this bill includes provisions that strengthen our background check system, create a mechanism to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves or others and enact the first federal ban on gun trafficking. This bill also includes historic amounts of funding to expand mental health and tele-health programs in our schools and communities.

"This piece of legislation on its own is not enough to end our country's gun violence problem, but it will no doubt save lives. I commend the leaders on both sides of the aisle who came together to craft this legislation and deliver real change for the American people. It is my hope that the negotiations that got us to this point have created a foundation for additional reforms in the future so that we can finally put an end to gun violence in America."

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act would:

* Provide funding for the development and implementation of crisis intervention orders in every state, including so called "red flag" laws that would allow courts to temporarily remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others;
* Close the "boyfriend loophole," which prohibits domestic abusers who have assaulted a girlfriend or ex-girlfriend from buying or owning a gun;
* Enhance and strengthen background checks for gun purchasers under the age of 21, including a call to the local police department to see if the individual is in crisis, providing a critical "cooling off" period;
* Create a first of its kind federal ban on gun trafficking and straw purchasing to help stop the flow of illegal guns into our cities;
* Clarify who is required to register as a federally licensed commercial gun dealer, to get additional gun purchases through the background check system;
* Make a historic investment in our nation's mental health care system, including expanding community health centers, school based health centers, and telehealth services;
* Provide funding for school and community safety programs that would make our school campuses safer and expand anti-violence programs in our cities.

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