WASHINGTON — In a congressional hearing titled "The Urgent Need to Address the Gun Violence Epidemic," Congressman Kweisi Mfume spoke on gun violence today.
Gun violence victims from Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo testified alongside Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, the Buffalo Police Commissioner and various other experts on gun violence.
Congressman Mfume made the following statement during today's hearing.
He also issued a written statement after the hearing was over:
Listening to the victims and families from Buffalo and Uvalde who came before my Committee today, I remained stunned and heartbroken. The gun carnage that continues in schools, supermarkets, movie theaters, churches and on the streets of Baltimore is the cross we all bear,” said Congressman Mfume. “The new gun laws that will be passed in the U.S. House today must be seen as just a beginning, otherwise we are doomed in our fight against murderers, and the evil and pain that they spread,
The United States House of Representatives will vote on the "Protecting Our Kids Act," which includes a number of gun violence prevention measures. Some of these measures include:
- Raising the age to purchase specific semi-automatic weapons to 21 years old
- Creating new federal offenses for gun trafficking and straw purchases
- Redefining ghost guns as a type of “firearm” under law to increase regulation and subject purchases of these kits to background checks
- Increasing safe gun storage requirements
- Outlawing bump stocks and high-capacity magazines
Thursday, the U.S. House will consider the "Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act," which gives family members and law enforcement officers the ability to petition a federal court for an extreme risk protection order to temporarily remove firearms access to people considered a danger to themselves or others.
Mfume is leading the charge to help both of these bill pass in the U.S. House.
