Gun violence is an epidemic in our country, and it demands our attention. As Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, a combat veteran, a gun owner and hunter, and a father and grandfather, I am committed to advancing legislation that helps save lives.
Mental health challenges are something that needs to be addressed, but mental health concerns don't explain why our gun homicide rate is 26 times that of other high-income countries. The leading cause of gun violence is the easy access to firearms for people who are a danger to themselves or others. Reducing gun violence is about reducing access to guns for dangerous people. That includes universal background checks and red flag laws because they provide an opportunity for law enforcement, friends, and family to act on troubling behavior, whether it is mental health or another diagnosed health intervention, which could lead to gun violence. In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker's plan but failed to report it. Further, research by Mental Health America shows that people who are mentally ill are more likely to be the victim than the perpetrator.
Addressing the gun violence epidemic goes far beyond the mental health crisis. 68 percent of gun-related incidents at school are committed with guns that were not safely secured. 4.6 million children live in a home where at least one gun is kept loaded and unlocked. Safe storage laws would reduce gun violence. 18-20-year olds comprise just 4 percent of the US population, but account for 17 percent of known homicide offenders. Raising the age to purchase a firearm helps to stop a portion of the population that is significantly more likely to kill with a gun.
We also know that crime guns disproportionately come from the illegal sales of firearms. Guns that are trafficked or sold through straw purchases (when someone purchases a gun for someone else who is prohibited from buying a gun) are more likely to be used in homicides. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act included a new penalty for trafficking and straw purchases. This authority has already been used to prosecute over 200 people engaged in the illegal sale of guns.
Responsible, law-abiding Americans have the right to bear arms, and I support measures that protect the Second Amendment while keeping our communities safe. I won't stop working until we reduce gun violence and help keep every American safe.
By Congressman Mike Thompson
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