118 HRES 1618 IH: Expressing support for the designation of November 20, 2024, through December 20, 2024, as “National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month”. U.S. House of Representatives 2024-12-17 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. RES. 1618IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESDecember 17, 2024Ms. Pressley (for herself, Mr. Costa, Ms. Norton, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Evans, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Barragán, and Mr. Tonko) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryRESOLUTIONExpressing support for the designation of November 20, 2024, through December 20, 2024, as National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month.

Whereas the United States faces a national public health crisis of gun violence;Whereas, on average annually, over 20,000 homicides each year continue to rob families and communities of loved ones;Whereas homicides increased by 30 percent in 2020, compounding the many deaths caused by COVID–19;Whereas for every 1 homicide victim, there are at least 10 surviving family members, and the number of survivors of homicide victims grows exponentially each year as they navigate life after the tragic loss of their loved one;Whereas homicide victims are loved and grieved by family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and communities across the country;Whereas, in the United States, almost 1 in 4 adults who are Black or Latinx report having lost a loved one to gun-related homicide;Whereas losing a loved one to homicide is one of the most traumatic events an individual can experience;Whereas, in the United States, homicide is the leading cause of death for Black teenagers and the second leading cause of death for teenagers overall; Whereas more than 1/2 of women who are victims of homicides are killed because of intimate partner violence;Whereas 40 percent of homicides in the United States go unsolved;Whereas homicide results in chronic physical and behavioral health consequences that carry significant behavioral and economic burdens on families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss;Whereas all families of homicide victims deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion;Whereas surviving family members need holistic, coordinated, compassionate, and consistent support and services in the immediate aftermath of a homicide and ongoing opportunities for healing in the months and years afterward;Whereas surviving family members want to remember and honor the lives of their loved ones regardless of the circumstances surrounding their death;Whereas survivors of homicide victims are transforming their pain into purpose by informing, influencing, and impacting public policy, and working to create and sustain an environment where all families can live in peace and all people are valued;Whereas survivors, advocates, and providers are working together to implement equitable and effective community-based responses to homicide;Whereas the leadership of surviving family and community members is essential to disrupting cycles of violence and promoting peace in all communities; andWhereas recognition of the needs of survivors can help combat trauma, foster healing, and inform joy for families and communities impacted by homicide: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—(1)expresses support for the designation of National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month;(2)supports efforts to—(A)raise awareness of survivors of homicide victims;(B)support survivors of homicide victims, including families, schools, and communities, with support services and information; and(C)encourage research to—(i)better address the needs of families and communities severely impacted by violence; and(ii)consider ways to improve access to, and the quality of, behavioral health services for survivors of homicide victims; and(3)calls on the people of the United States, interest groups, and affected persons—(A)to promote awareness of survivors of homicide victims;(B)to take an active role in the fight to end gun violence and homicide;(C)to respond to all families suffering in the aftermath of homicide with consistency, compassion, and competence and by centering the principles of love, unity, faith, hope, courage, justice, and forgiveness; and(D)to observe National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month with appropriate activities.