{"id":9231,"date":"2017-12-06T15:17:42","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T15:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/giffords.org\/?p=5424"},"modified":"2017-12-06T15:17:42","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T15:17:42","slug":"statement-giffords-calls-for-senate-to-build-on-rare-hearing-to-consider-solutions-to-reduce-gun-violence-and-pass-legislation-to-make-communities-safer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/giffords.org\/2017\/12\/statement-giffords-calls-senate-build-rare-hearing-consider-solutions-reduce-gun-violence-pass-legislation-make-communities-safer\/","title":{"rendered":"STATEMENT: Giffords Calls for Senate to Build on Rare Hearing to Consider Solutions to Reduce Gun Violence and Pass Legislation to Make Communities Safer"},"content":{"rendered":"

DECEMBER 6, 2017\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014 Today, Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former\u00a0Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords<\/strong>and her husband,\u00a0combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly<\/strong>, called for the Senate to pass legislation to prevent gun violence ahead of a hearing where experts will discuss the recent tragedies in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing today at\u00a010:00 AM<\/span><\/span>\u00a0entitled, \u201cFirearm Accessory Regulation and Enforcing Federal and State Reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).\u201d \u00a0The hearing will feature representatives from federal agencies as well as expert witnesses to discuss the loopholes in our laws that led to the deadly shootings. Leaders on both sides of the aisle have called for action in the wake of these tragedies, including lending bipartisan support for legislation to\u00a0strengthen background checks records reporting<\/a>\u00a0sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Murphy (D-CT).<\/p>\n

At the same time that the Senate considers solutions to gun violence, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote later today on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, a dangerous bill\u00a0opposed by law enforcement leaders<\/a>\u00a0across the country who say it will put officers at risk and make communities less safe. The bill would undermine current state public safety standards by forcing states with strong concealed carry laws to honor permits from states with weak or nonexistent concealed carry laws.<\/p>\n

Robin Lloyd, Director of Government Affairs, Giffords:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cCongress is beginning to recognize that sending only thoughts and prayers in the face of a gun violence crisis that takes the lives of over 90 Americans every day is no longer acceptable to Americans across the country. Today\u2019s hearing is sign that Congress can and should do more to address the deadly gun violence epidemic plaguing our communities.<\/strong> We should not wait for the next horrific shooting, like the one in Las Vegas, to know that Congress must regulate deadly firearm devices like bump stocks. We don\u2019t need to see another town forever altered by a shooter in a house of worship to know that we need to close the loopholes in our laws that are enabling dangerous people like domestic abusers to have access to firearms.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope is that today\u2019s hearing will highlight policy solutions to gun violence that Congress can offer to the American people– and act on. We cannot accept a Congress that pays lip service to making our communities safer while simultaneously putting them at greater risk by advancing a harmful bill that would allow more dangerous and untrained people to carry concealed firearms throughout our country.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Related Resources from Giffords:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n