Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–January 5, 2016. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) issued the following statement today after joining President Obama at the White House for the announcement on his Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence.
“I applaud President Obama’s bold Executive Actions taken today. These policies will have an immediate impact by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous individuals and preventing gun trafficking, while also protecting the Second Amendment rights of responsible, law-abiding citizens.
While President Obama’s Executive Actions are crucial steps in reducing the senseless gun violence plaguing our nation, they do not absolve Congress of its responsibility to act. There are gaps in existing gun laws that leave us all vulnerable to gun violence, holes that only Congress can plug. With over 30 Americans being killed by a gun every single day, inaction is not an option. Congress has a moral obligation to address the public health epidemic of gun violence in America. We must act now to pass reasonable and responsible gun safety laws to save lives.”
Congresswoman Kelly has long advocated for common sense gun violence prevention policies. In 2014, she released the 2014 Kelly Report: Gun Violence in America, the first comprehensive Congressional analysis of America’s gun violence epidemic. Her most recent report, the 2015 Kelly Report: Health Disparities in America, included an analysis by former Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher on gun violence as a public health threat.
Congresswoman Kelly has two common sense bills that would complement President Obama’s Executive Actions to reduce gun violence. H.R. 224, the Recognizing Gun Violence as a Public Health Emergency Act, would require the Surgeon General to submit an annual report to Congress on the public health impact of gun violence. H.R. 225, the Firearm Safety Act, would close the loophole that prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission evaluating the safety of firearms. Both bills would give Congress the data it needs to pass meaningful and impactful gun violence prevention legislation, and ensure firearms are as safe and consumer friendly as possible –without obstructing the rights of responsible gun owners.
The 2014 Kelly Report can be found here: http://robinkelly.house.gov/sites/robinkelly.house.gov/files/wysiwyg_uploaded/KellyReport_1.pdf
The 2015 Kelly Report can be found here: https://robinkelly.house.gov/sites/robinkelly.house.gov/files/2015%20Kelly%20Report.pdf
Source: http://www.robinkelly.house.gov
