Golden State Today

Washington—Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) June 1, 2023 joined with Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (both D-Ill.) and 18 senators to introduce a resolution in support of June 2, 2023, as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and June 2023 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month.” 

“Each year, more than 43,000 people are killed and 76,000 are injured by gun violence in the United States,” said Senator Feinstein. “That’s thousands of lives lost and families torn apart because it’s far too easy for dangerous individuals to get a hold of deadly weapons. Our resolution will raise awareness of this epidemic of gun violence and inspire more Americans to speak out in support of commonsense solutions to end it.”

“As a father to three boys, it’s horrifying that the leading cause of death for children in America is gun violence,” said Senator Padilla. “Our resolution highlights the need for Congress to recognize the severe impacts of gun violence and work towards solutions to make all our communities safer.”

In addition to Senators Feinstein, Padilla, Durbin and Duckworth, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

Representative Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives with more than 100 cosponsors.

Full text of the resolution is available here and below: 

Expressing support for the designation of June 2, 2023, as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and June 2023 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month”.

Whereas, each year in the United States, more than—

(1)   43,000 individuals are killed and 76,000 individuals are wounded by gunfire;

(2)   17,000 individuals are killed in homicides involving guns;

(3)   25,000 individuals die by suicide using a gun; and

(4)   500 individuals are killed in unintentional shootings;

Whereas, since 1968, more individuals have died from guns in the United States than have died on the battlefields of all the wars in the history of the United States;

Whereas 2022 was an especially deadly year for the United States, with an estimated 20,100 people killed in homicides involving guns or nonsuicide-related shootings;

Whereas, in 2022, unintentional shootings by children surpassed 350 incidents for the third year in a row, resulting in nearly 140 deaths annually;

Whereas, by one count, in 2022 in the United States, there were 646 mass-shooting incidents in which not fewer than 4 people were killed or wounded by gunfire;

Whereas, from 2010 to 2021 in the United States, 65,000 military veterans died by suicide, the overwhelming majority of such deaths being the result of a firearm;

Whereas, every year in the United States, nearly 4,000 children and teens are killed by gun violence and 15,000 children and teens are shot and wounded;

Whereas approximately 9,300 individuals in the United States under 25 years of age die because of gun violence annually, including Hadiya Pendleton, who, in 2013, was killed at 15 years of age in Chicago, Illinois, while standing in a park;

Whereas, on June 2, 2023, to recognize the 26th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (born June 2, 1997), people across the United States will recognize “National Gun Violence Awareness Day” and wear orange in tribute to—

(1)   Hadiya Pendleton and other victims of gun violence; and

(2)   the loved ones of those victims; and

Whereas June 2023 is an appropriate month to designate as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month”: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1)   supports—

(A) the designation of “National Gun Violence Awareness Month” and the goals and ideals of that month; and

(B)  the designation of “National Gun Violence Awareness Day”, in remembrance of the victims of gun violence; and

(2)   calls on the people of the United States to—

(A) promote greater awareness of gun violence and gun safety;

(B)  wear orange, the color that hunters wear to show that they are not targets, on “National Gun Violence Awareness Day”;

(C)  concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during the summer months, when gun violence typically increases; and

(D) bring community members and leaders together to discuss ways to make communities safer.

Original source can be found here.