Congresswoman Cori Bush Statement on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
WASHINGTON, DC– Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the below statement following federal action on S. 2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act:
“St. Louis understands the daily devastation and trauma of gun violence. Every day this entirely preventable crisis robs our community of neighbors and loved ones. It is long past time for the federal government to enact community-based solutions that will address the gun violence epidemic and I’m proud to see this bill pass Congress and get signed into law.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will undoubtedly save lives. As a survivor of domestic violence and gun violence, I know the trauma and pain of being in a serious relationship with an abuser with access to a gun. It once almost cost me my life. Closing the dating partner loophole will protect millions of survivors from lethal encounters with gun violence and I’m glad that we were finally able to get this done. I am proud that we secured a historic $250 million investment in community violence intervention programs. This is an important step in our work to address the root causes of gun violence and we will continue pushing for more funding to fully meet the needs of communities like St. Louis that are disproportionately harmed by gun violence.
But our work will not stop here. We must fully invest in public safety programs that address the multiple crises in St. Louis— from police violence to domestic violence. It’s why I introduced H.R. 4914, the People’s Response Act and helped secure tens of millions of dollars for alternative crisis response programs. It is also why I have worked tirelessly to ensure that we are not investing in failed strategies that further militarize our neighborhoods and schools – and the need to prioritize comprehensive, public health-based gun violence prevention strategies that will keep every student safe.
It’s crucial that we legislate and advance policies that do not further criminalize Black and brown communities and people with disabilities. As Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, I will continue to do the necessary work to conduct oversight and ensure federal gun safety laws and public safety measures do not harm the very communities we seek to protect.”
Summary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can be found here
Full text of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can be found here.
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Congresswoman Cori Bush represents Missouri’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. She is also a Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus.