TODAY: Congressional Hearings on Gun Violence Prevention As Gun Sense Majorities Continue To Act

Just weeks after passing the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major federal gun safety legislation to become law in nearly 26 years, Congress continues to lead the charge on gun violence prevention by holding two important hearings and a markup today. 

• At 10 am this morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing, “After the Highland Park Attack: Protecting Our Communities from Mass Shootings.” 
  • Witnesses at this hearing are expected to include Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Dr. Kyleanne Hunter of the RAND Corporation, Professor Joseph Blocher of Duke University School of Law, Philip T. Smith of the National African American Gun Association, and Russell Bentley of Safe Havens International. A livestream is available here.
    
• At 2:30 pm this afternoon, the Joint Economic Committee will hold a hearing on the economic toll of gun violence. The hearing follows yesterday’s release of new research conducted by Everytown for Gun Safety which revealed that gun violence costs nearly $35 million in tax dollars each day.  
  • Everytown’s Senior Director for Research, Sarah Burd-Sharps, will testify at this hearing, along with Dr. Chethan Sathya, Pediatric General & Thoracic Surgeon and Director, Northwell Health Center for Gun Violence Prevention, Ryan Busse, a former firearms industry executive and Senior Advisor for Giffords, and Amy Swearer, a legal fellow with The Heritage Foundation. A livestream is available here.
    
• Additionally, at 10am this morning, the House Judiciary Committee is set to hold a markup of H.R. 2814, which would repeal the gun industry’s immunity from legal accountability, and H.R. 1808, legislation to regulate assault weapons. A livestream is available here.

The gun sense majority in Congress has taken bold, lifesaving action since taking office – from reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act to passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June to confirming the first permanent ATF Director in nearly a decade just last week. In the wake of these victories for gun violence prevention, our leaders continue to shine a light on what more we can do to combat the epidemic of gun violence that results in 110 people being shot and killed and hundreds more injured each day.