Washington, D.C., June 23, 2022 - Today, Brady applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the Safer Communities Act, the first comprehensive gun violence prevention bill passed by the Senate in nearly 30 years.Brady President Kris Brown shared:“The Senate’s action today is a clear signal that the old politics around gun safety are over. Gun violence prevention is not the third rail of American politics, but an issue that bridges political affiliation and is supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans. A bipartisan majority of Senators came together, including over the NRA’s objections, and passed this comprehensive bill. This bipartisan effort is contrasted to the Supreme Court’s dangerous and wrong opinion released this morning, which will make the enactment and implementation of many gun violence prevention policies at the state level more challenging. That decision will make Americans less safe, underscoring the need for this common-sense legislation. The Senate has listened to the American people, unlike the Court, and now the House of Representatives must pass this bill as well.Brady thanks the Senate negotiators of both parties who made this bill and moment possible, and particularly Senator Chris Murphy, who has made federal action to prevent gun violence a central focus and who has seen the fruit of that long labor today.”About the Bill Text:The text of this legislation builds out the policy areas agreed to in the bipartisan framework announced on June 12, 2022. Significantly, this legislation will address the so-called “boyfriend loophole,” a current gap in federal law which permits some individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders or who are convicted of domestic violence abuses to legally purchase or possess a firearm. The bill likewise creates new requirements for federal firearm licensee designation, and a mechanism to ensure that individuals who exhibited signs of dangerousness as minors are appropriately evaluated when seeking to purchase a firearm. The bill also creates new federal standards for straw purchases and trafficking firearms, including maximum penalty standards that Brady does not support and warns could create unintended harm, particularly against Black and Brown communities. Finally, the bill includes new funds available to states to support extreme risk protection laws and crisis prevention programs, and funds for both mental health resources and school safety programs.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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