Congressman DeSaulnier Introduces Slate of Gun Violence Prevention Legislation

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced that he introduced three gun safety reform bills to help end the gun violence epidemic – the Local Gun Violence Reduction Act (H.R. 4883), the Gun Safety Board and Research Act (H.R. 4882), and the Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act (H.R. 4918). 

“We are not powerless in the face of the gun violence epidemic – research and science prove that commonsense gun safety reforms save lives. I am proud to again introduce these bills that follow the science, remove politics from solving this public health crisis, and put the wellbeing of the American people over the interests of the gun lobby,” said Congressman DeSaulnier.

Local Gun Violence Reduction Act (H.R. 4883)
The Local Gun Violence Reduction Act (H.R. 4883) would create a local gun violence prevention effort database at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This database would allow state and local governments to enter information on policies their communities have implemented that have reduced gun violence for the purpose of sharing these solutions with other states and localities to end the public health crisis of gun violence nationwide. Currently, no such database exists at the federal level, leaving states and localities without an efficient, reliable means of identifying and implementing proven solutions. This bill is supported by Brady, Everytown, and Giffords.

Gun Safety Board and Research Act (H.R. 4882)
The Gun Safety Board and Research Act (H.R. 4882), would establish a board of experts at the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for funding research on gun violence, evaluating federal and state policy proposals, and recommending best practices for reducing firearm deaths. This bill is supported by Brady and Everytown.

Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act (H.R. 4918)
Finally, the Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act (H.R. 4918) would help bring life-saving technology to the market by creating a $10 million pilot program at the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice to support private-sector commercialization of gun safety technology. Gun safety technology includes any devices that decrease the likelihood that a gun can be used accidentally or by unauthorized users, such as smart guns, user-authorized guns, childproof guns, and personalized safes and locking devices. H.R. 4918 is co-led by Congressmembers Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA), and is supported by Brady, Everytown, and Giffords.

“Gun safety technology has the potential to save some of the tens of thousands of American lives lost to gun violence each year,” said Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08). “I specifically think about those accidental child-involved shootings which gun safety technology would be instrumental to help prevent. Our legislation would help spur innovation to develop these technologies and bring products incorporating them to market. I appreciate my colleagues Rep. DeSaulnier and Rep. Lofgren for their leadership on this legislation, and look forward to building a coalition to advance it so we can prevent gun violence and save lives.”

“As the only advanced nation in the world that suffers from a gun violence crisis, it is clear Congress should act to ensure our communities are safe. That includes by passing our Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act to boost innovators’ ability to market technology that can save Americans’ lives,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18). “My district suffered mass shootings at the Gilroy Garlic Festival and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority yard. I am proud to collaborate with Rep. DeSaulnier and Rep. Beyer to do more to end the scourge of gun violence in America. This legislation is focused on safety and reducing harm, and non-gun owners and gun owners alike should support this sensible bill.”

“Since 2020, gun violence has remained the leading cause of death for children and teens. It’s time that changes. As policymakers, we have a responsibility to help keep our schools, streets and communities safe. I’m thankful for Representative DeSaulnier for advancing sensible solutions to our gun violence epidemic and I remain committed to continuing to lead the fight to keep our friends, family members, and neighbors safe,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

“California has long been a national leader in gun violence prevention, and with the reintroduction of the Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act, the Gun Safety Board and Research Act, and the Local Gun Violence Reduction Act, Congressman DeSaulnier is upholding that legacy. To end the gun violence epidemic in our country, we must continue to support research that exposes both the true impact of gun violence and the best, data-driven ways to prevent it. Together, these three bills will bolster funding for firearm safety and research and equip us with the knowledge to save lives, and we applaud Congressman DeSaulnier for reintroducing these important bills,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady.

“We applaud Congressman DeSaulnier for stepping up and introducing legislation to address our gun violence crisis, which has touched nearly every American. Gun violence is a national problem that requires national solutions, so we need more Washington lawmakers to follow Congressman DeSaulnier’s lead and champion common-sense gun safety laws,” John Feinblatt, President, Everytown for Gun Safety.

Congressman DeSaulnier is a longtime advocate for gun violence prevention and a proud recipient of an “F” rating from the NRA. He has authored several bills to reduce gun thefts and increase community safety throughout his time in elected office. He is also a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.