Overview of Mark's Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
Dear Contra Costa Residents:
From the Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards: "Bay Area Rep. Mark DeSaulnier should have been present for Wednesday's televised meeting on gun violence at the White House. The Concord Democrat would have put ending Congress' 22-year ban on gun violence research front and center in the discussion, where it belongs." To learn more, click below.
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, Democratic Members of Congress renewed our push for gun violence prevention and I joined in supporting the below legislation:
- Assault Weapons Ban (H.R. 5087) prohibits the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of semiautomatic weapons and ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than ten rounds.
- Raise the Age Act (H.R. 5090) raises the legal age to purchase an assault weapon from 18 to 21 years old.
- Gun Safety: Not Sorry Act (H.R. 4268) instates a 7-day waiting period before a semiautomatic weapon, silencer, armor piercing ammunition, or large capacity magazine can be purchased or transferred.
- Background Check Completion Act (H.R. 3464) closes the "Charleston Loophole" that allows people to get their guns even if their background check isn't completed within 3 days.
- Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act (H.R. 5103) increases taxes on guns and creates a new tax on assault weapons and would use that revenue to fund gun violence research, violence prevention, and enforcement of existing gun laws.
RECENT KEY VOTES
Bills to Improve Americans' Health and Well-Being
The House considered several bills last week aimed at creating programs to support the health of Americans, improving trauma care, and supporting research to develop new treatments and procedures. I supported these bills (H.R. 1222, H.R. 880, and H.R. 2422) to ensure that all Americans have the care and treatment they need to lead healthy lives.
Operational Risk Capital Requirements Bill (H.R. 4296)
In yet another attempt to weaken consumer protections at banks, H.R. 4296 would decrease the amount of money big banks would have to keep on hand to cover major risk factors. I opposed this bill to once again stand up for the American people over big business.
MARK AROUND TOWN
The rise in the number of close calls involving planes nearly landing on taxiways or incorrect runways, including three incidents at SFO, is troubling. During a Transportation and Infrastructure hearing on aviation safety, Mark questioned officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) about the importance of preserving cockpit voice recorders to learn from near misses and prevent an accident before it happens. Watch the exchange below.
Over the weekend, we hosted our 60th town hall and mobile district office hour since taking office in January of 2015. Throughout the rest of the year we will be hosting issue-specific town halls, and I want to hear from you on which topics you would like to discuss. I am proud to represent a community as civically engaged as Contra Costa County, and I hope you will vote here on the topic of our next town hall.
OPINIONS FROM THE DISTRICT
Hearing directly from you not only informs my work in Congress, but also is my favorite part of being your Representative. To share your opinions with me you can either email me or take our survey.
Below are some of the top issues you shared with me over the last week:
- 945 constituents have written in calling for Congressional action for common sense gun reform.
- 252 constituents contacted me speaking out against the proposal for oil and gas drilling in public lands and waters off the coast of California.
- 68 constituents wrote in continued support of Net Neutrality and a free and open internet.
LEGISLATION MARK RECENTLY SUPPORTED
Resolution to reinstate Net Neutrality (H.J.Res. 129) - rejects the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) order to end the Open Internet Order and restores Net Neutrality.
Water recycling and reuse legislation (H.R. 5127) – California's recent experience with drought makes clear the need to encourage new, innovative approaches to increase water use efficiency. This bill provides federal support for water recycling and reuse projects.
Election Security Act (H.R. 5011) – provides funding and support for improving the security of our elections and improvements to our election infrastructure, such as aging voting machines.
Resolution commemorating Black History Month 2018 (H.Res. 755) - recognizes the great contributions and untold or under-told history of African Americans by commemorating Black History Month.
Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality of Care Act (H.R. 2392) - requires hospitals to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.
Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination Act (H.R. 3574) – requires colleges to disclose on their website any exemption from U.S. civil rights law they have received from the U.S. Department of Education.
LETTERS MARK RECENTLY SENT
Letter to the President on climate change – expressing serious concerns about the removal of climate change information from federal agency web sites.
Letter urging President Trump to restore funding to critical school safety and prevention programs that he reduced or eliminated in his annual budget request.
Letter opposing the confirmation of anti-LGBT judge Kyle Stuart Duncan to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
MARK'S RECENT STATEMENTS
"As a frequent flyer, I am proud that the number of accidents in our nation's air travel system has steadily declined and that our system is so safe. Rather than sit back and get comfortable, we should instead shift our focus to studying near-miss incidents, which are on the rise, to learn what we can and avoid catastrophes in the future. Today, both the NTSB and the FAA agreed that access to data recorded in the cockpit can help us maintain and maybe improve our safety record," said Congressman DeSaulnier.
Congressman DeSaulnier Announces 2018 Congressional Art Competition
"Young people in this country are bringing about change by sharing their opinions and emotions. Art has always been an outlet for expression, and we look forward to being inspired and moved by the creativity of our high school students in Contra Costa. I encourage students to participate in the competition and share their artistic talent with our community," said Congressman Mark DeSaulnier.
MARK IN THE NEWS
‘Pretty scary thought': SFO close-calls discussed in Congressional aviation hearing
"We're so comfortable with our safety record that we're not looking at these near misses and not learning from them," said DeSaulnier. "If that 59 feet (which the Air Canada plane dropped to during the July SFO incident) had finalized in a tragedy and if it happens in the future, we are all going to be held to account which I think would be appropriate. So we want to avoid that."
KTVU: Interview on Bill to Promote Evidence-Based Gun Violence Research
