National Policy
Thoughts and prayers aren’t going to put a stop to gun violence. It will take all of us advocating for sensible gun violence prevention reforms to make it happen. Here are ten policies proven to save lives—policies we need to accomplish as soon as possible to ensure the safety of our schools, homes and communities.
1. FUND GUN VIOLENCE RESEARCH
We must provide the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) with dedicated funding to research gun violence as a public health issue. Even the original sponsor of the law that limits the CDC’s ability to do this research, former Congressman Jay Dickey, said that it was a mistake. More than 100 medical organizations have called on Congress to restore funding.
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2. ELIMINATE ABSURD RESTRICTIONS ON THE ATF​​
The gun industry has operated with little meaningful oversight for far too long. ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives), the federal agency with jurisdiction to regulate the gun industry, has been operating with one hand tied behind its back – unable to even digitize records of gun sales – or require gun dealers to conduct annual inventory checks to make sure they aren’t missing any guns. The ATF needs to become a modern agency, one capable of keeping receipts and efficiently regulating this massive industry.
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3. UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS​​
It is too easy for the wrong people to obtain a firearm. Right now, federal law only requires you to obtain a background check if you purchase a gun from a licensed dealer. We must close the private sale loophole and make sure all sales undergo a background check.
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4. HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINE BAN​​
High-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds serve only one purpose – to allow someone to shoot as many bullets as possible, in the shortest amount of time. These magazines are used in most mass shootings and need to be banned.
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5. LIMIT FIRING POWER IN THE STREETS​​
Weapons of war have no place in our communities. Our nation requires a comprehensive semi-automatic assault rifle ban that prohibits the future production and sale of these weapons and provides a solution for dealing with those semi-automatic assault rifles that are already owned, such as a buyback program or registration. Limiting high-powered weapons to the military has worked elsewhere to eliminate the opportunity for mass shootings.
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6. FUNDING FOR INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
A comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence requires not just new policies, but investment in programs that address the root causes of this violence. Federal, state, and local leaders should invest in evidence-based violence reduction strategies that engage all community stakeholders and have been proven effective.
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7. EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS​​
There are few options available to family members concerned about an individual who is experiencing a crisis, poses a risk of harm to self or others, and owns a gun. Extreme risk protection orders provide a crucial lifesaving tool to temporarily remove a gun from a person in crisis.
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8. DISARM ALL DOMESTIC ABUSERS​​
While current law bans some domestic abusers from gun possession, others remain free to buy and possess the guns that are too often used to threaten and abuse. Congress needs to act to close loopholes that allow dating partner abusers, individuals convicted of stalking, and those subject to a temporary restraining order to continue possessing guns, and to make surrender of guns from prohibited abusers mandatory .
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9. GUN TRAFFICKING
We know that guns move from states with weak gun laws to states with stronger laws and that illegal gun trafficking facilitates easy access to guns in impacted communities. Yet, there is no federal law specifically targeting gun trafficking, making it more difficult to investigate and prosecute the criminal networks responsible for flooding communities with guns.
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10. SAFE STORAGE AND MANDATORY THEFT REPORTING
While many gun owners use responsible storage practices, and estimated 4.6 million children living in homes with unsecured guns, contributing to accidental deaths. There are few laws in place to ensure that guns are stored securely when not in use.
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