Madam President, today I rise to introduce the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act. The premise of this bill is simple: Individuals who pose a serious threat to themselves or others should…
Madam President, today I rise to introduce the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act.
The premise of this bill is simple: Individuals who pose a serious threat to themselves or others should not have guns.
Too often we see the deadly consequences when those at risk of committing violence are given easy access to guns. Nearly 40,000 people die each year from gun violence. Last year, 3,597 children died by gunfire--making guns the No. 1 cause of death for children in the United States.
Before many incidents of gun violence, shooters display warning signs of impending violence. However, family and friends--those in the best position to recognize troubling signs--are too often powerless to stop the violence.
That is why Congress must pass the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act.
Extreme risk protection orders, which are often referred to as red flag laws, allow law enforcement and family members to petition courts to temporarily remove guns from individuals who are determined to be dangerous. These laws help save lives.
Nineteen States, including California, already have these laws on the books. Red flag laws work, but they need more funding.
The Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, which I am reintroducing today, would allow States to use Federal funds to develop red flag laws.
Passing the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act would help States respond to situations where a dangerous person should not have access to a gun. It will also help us better understand the causes of gun violence and how to better protect our communities.
When Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, it expanded the Justice Department's existing Byrne-JAG Program to allow States to apply for Federal grant assistance if they want to create these laws.
While this was an important first step, I believe we must pass the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act to build on the important work done last Congress and make sure that specific dedicated funding exists for the development and implementation of red-flag laws.