Gun Violence Prevention
Summary of Position
The United States is the gun violence capital of the world. The common sense reforms we have made in California are working, and Congressman DeSaulnier is leading the way to bring them to the national level to make our families, schools, and communities safer while adhering to the Second Amendment.
By the Numbers
- In 2021, 48,830 people died in the United States from gun-related injuries, including in homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings. This is the equivalent of more than 100 deaths each day.
- The U.S. firearm homicide rate is 20 times higher than the combined rates of 22 comparable countries.
- For every person who dies from a gunshot, two others are wounded.
- The U.S. has 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, and is the only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people.
- Nearly 6 out of every 10 deaths from firearms are suicides.
Things to Know
- Proud recipient of an "F" rating from the NRA
- Member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force
- Brought over 1,000 members of the community together to discuss commonsense efforts to strengthen our gun laws since coming to Congress
- Advocating for a Gun Safety Board to research and promote best practices to prevent gun violence nationwide
Working for You
Authored Bill to Address Gun Violence with Evidence-Based Solutions
Gun violence is a public health epidemic. To remove politics from the conversation and focus on proven solutions, Congressman DeSaulnier authored the Gun Safety Board and Research Act (H.R. 4177). The bill would create a Gun Safety Board to conduct research, make policy recommendations, and evaluate proposals aimed at reducing gun violence.
Support Bipartisan Background Checks Bill
A recent poll confirms that 97% of Americans agree that background checks need to be strengthened. Congressman DeSaulnier is a supporter of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would require universal background checks to make our homes and neighborhoods safer. He also supported the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the first gun violence prevention bill passed in nearly 30 years – which closed gun law loopholes and implemented new gun violence prevention policies.
Champion and Celebrate Local Gun Violence Reduction Efforts
While California had the 3rd highest rate of gun homicides in the country in 1993, thanks to the implementation of evidence-driven, science-based policies, the state has since become a national leader on gun safety and many local governments here in Contra Costa have gone above and beyond state law to protect our communities. Congressman DeSaulnier created a multi-pronged “Not Here” initiative to help local communities implement successful evidence-based solutions to gun violence. Specifically, he introduced the Local Gun Violence Reduction Act, which would create a local gun violence prevention effort database at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in which state and local governments can enter information and data on policies implemented in their communities 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. To demonstrate its effectiveness, Congressman DeSaulnier compiled and organized successful gun violence prevention efforts in parts of Contra Costa County, which he is proud to represent.
To view the Not Here one pager, click here.
Promote Smart Guns
As a continuation of his work in the California state legislature, Congressman DeSaulnier authored the Advancing Gun Safety Technology Act, a bill that would help bring life-saving gun safety technology to the market. Specifically, the bill would create a $10 million pilot program at the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice to support private-sector commercialization of gun safety technology, like smart guns, user-authorized handguns, childproof guns, personalized guns, and safes and locking devices that include personalized technology. This legislation is supported by Brady, Everytown, and Giffords.
For a downloadable copy of Mark's gun violence work, click here:
