"For My Son Jordan Davis, I vote "Aye'" McBath Urges Action on Gun Violence Prevention Legislation Anniversary

Statement

Today, Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) joined survivors, advocates, and colleagues on the one year anniversary of the House passage of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to urge Senate leadership to bring H.R. 8 to a vote.

"It has been a year since we stood together in the House chamber, Democrats and Republicans, and voted to pass a common-sense bill that will help save lives. I voted "Yes' for my son, Jordan Davis, and for all the lives lost to gun violence," said McBath. "I promised I would take that sense of protection, that love a mother has for her son, and use it for my community. That I would dedicate my life for families like mine in Marietta, Georgia, who are terrified that they will send their kids to school and never see them come home. Terrified that they will one day be me. The Senate must take action on this measure. They must take action to protect our children, to protect our communities, and to save American lives."

Rep. McBath is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 8. A member of the House Judiciary Committee, she was instrumental in getting gun violence prevention legislation passed in her first few months in office and "has become the public face of the House Democrats' push for gun control legislation."

The historic bipartisan bill, sponsored by Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson (CA-05), ensures background check procedures are followed for all gun sales, including sales made by unlicensed dealers. Other original co-sponsors of the bill represent both parties, including Reps. Peter T. King (NY-02), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Brian Mast (FL-18), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Fred Upton (MI-06), and Christopher Smith (NJ-04).

In addition, tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the House passage of H.R. 1112, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would close the Charleston loophole. In June 2019, McBath introduced the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order (FERPO) Act, H.R. 3076. Extreme risk, or "red flag" laws, empower loved ones and law enforcement to ensure that those who pose a danger to themselves or others do not have access to firearms. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have enacted extreme risk laws to allow law enforcement adequate time to respond to warning signs of a planned shooting or suicide. This common-sense gun violence prevention legislation is identical to S. 2521 -- a bipartisan bill that was introduced in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during the 115th Congress.

McBath also succeeded in securing $25 million in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health for important firearm injury and mortality prevention research to study the gun violence epidemic and find solutions to help keep families safe. It is the first funding of its kind in over 20 years.

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