[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 373 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 373

 Expressing support for the designation of June 2017 as ``National Gun 
   Violence Awareness Month'' and calling on Congress to address gun 
                               violence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 2, 2017

 Ms. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
  the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of June 2017 as ``National Gun 
   Violence Awareness Month'' and calling on Congress to address gun 
                               violence.

Whereas summer is the season with the highest rates of gun violence in the 
        United States;
Whereas 100,000 Americans suffer gunshot wounds in the United States every year;
Whereas approximately 89 people die and approximately 300 are injured from gun 
        violence each day in the United States;
Whereas more than 50 percent of all gunshot victims in the United States are 
        under 30 years old;
Whereas every 60 minutes 1 person in the United States who is under 25 years of 
        age loses his or her life to gun violence;
Whereas 5 percent of gun dealers (approximately 3,000 dealers nationwide) supply 
        nearly 90 percent of all crime guns that show up in the streets of the 
        United States;
Whereas fewer than 100 people in the United States have been killed in terror 
        attacks since September 11, 2001, but tens of thousands have been killed 
        by gun violence in that same time period;
Whereas more people in the United States have died from gunshot wounds in the 
        past three decades than the sum total of combat deaths in all the wars 
        in United States history;
Whereas two-thirds of all homicides and half of all suicides in the United 
        States are a result of gunshot wounds;
Whereas 90 percent of homicides of law enforcement officers in the United States 
        are a result of gunshot wounds;
Whereas guns used during a robbery are 3 times more likely than knives and 10 
        times more likely than other weapons to result in the death of a victim;
Whereas, in the United States, 84 percent of homicides against male victims 
        between 15 and 34 years of age are committed with guns;
Whereas 20 percent of female homicide victims in the United States are killed by 
        a current or former partner using a gun;
Whereas gun violence in the United States declined in the 1990s after the 
        enactment of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1993, which 
        created a national background check system, and the Violent Crime 
        Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which placed a 10-year ban on 
        the sale of assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines;
Whereas with the rise over time of sales in ``no questions asked'' transactions, 
        40 percent of guns sold in the United States are now done so without a 
        Brady background check;
Whereas the ban on the sale of assault weapons and large capacity ammunition 
        magazines expired in 2004;
Whereas, in 2016, the number of homicides due to gunshot wounds spiked again in 
        cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and New Orleans;
Whereas this trend of increasing gun violence may spread;
Whereas in the 16 States that require background checks of private gun sales, 
        there are 38 percent fewer fatal shootings of women by their partners, 
        39 percent fewer police murdered by guns, 17 percent fewer firearm 
        aggravated assaults, and 49 percent fewer suicides using guns;
Whereas murder due to gunshot wounds climbed 25 percent in Missouri when 
        universal background checks were lifted;
Whereas, on average, 33,880 deaths per year in the United States were due to 
        guns; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to designate June 2017 as ``National Gun 
        Violence Awareness Month'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Gun Violence 
        Awareness Month''; and
            (2) calls on the Congress to enact the following 
        legislation from the 115th Congress to address gun violence:
                    (A) H.R. 1475, the Gun Trafficking Prevention Act 
                of 2017, to limit the trafficking of firearms.
                    (B) H.R. 1478, the Gun Violence Research Act of 
                2017, to allow the Department Health and Human Services 
                to sponsor research on gun violence.
                    (C) H.R. 1612, the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 
                2017, to require that background checks be conducted on 
                individuals purchasing guns at gun shows.
                    (D) Legislation to ban assault weapons and large 
                capacity ammunition magazines.
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