Brady Urges Senate to Pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

Washington, D.C., June 23, 2022 - After a strong showing of bipartisanship to limit debate on the Safer Communities Act, Brady urges the Senate to swiftly pass this bill and send it to the House of Representatives without delay.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“The landscape for gun violence prevention laws is different today than it was just 48 hours ago when the Safer Communities Act was introduced, thanks to the Supreme Court’s extreme and wrongly decided opinion in the Bruen case. That decision has only underscored the urgent need for the Senate to act and pass this bill. That 65 Senators joined together regardless of party lines and in active opposition of the NRA and the NSSF, including 15 from the minority party, to move this bill forward is a sign that we are at a historic tipping point on this issue. The politics around gun safety are clear, the American people want gun violence prevention. The Senate must pass this bill tonight and deliver that safety. Lives are on the line.”

About the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 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.

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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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