[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 530 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 530

 Expressing support for the designation of June 21, 2023, as National 
   ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day to promote children's health and safe 
                      storage of guns in the home.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 21, 2023

  Mr. Crow (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Swalwell) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of June 21, 2023, as National 
   ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day to promote children's health and safe 
                      storage of guns in the home.

Whereas firearm-related deaths are now the leading cause of death in United 
        States children;
Whereas, according to estimates from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization 
        Project, on average, 22 children and teens per day were injured or 
        killed from the discharge of a firearm;
Whereas 4.6 million children in the United States live in homes with loaded and 
        unlocked guns;
Whereas, in States that collect data through the National Violent Death 
        Reporting System, on average, 80 percent of unintentional firearm deaths 
        of children under 15 occurred in a home;
Whereas, in approximately 80 percent of school shootings by a student, the gun 
        was brought from their home or the home of a family member and owned by 
        an adult family member;
Whereas the ASK Campaign encourages parents to add a question to a conversation 
        before their child visits other homes, ``Is there a gun in your 
        house?'', and follow affirmative answers with, ``Is it locked and 
        unloaded?'';
Whereas asking these simple questions about gun safety before sending your child 
        to visit or play at another home could help save your child's life;
Whereas asking these questions will raise awareness of the need for safe storage 
        of guns in the home as a proven effective preventative safety measure;
Whereas asking these questions will prevent incidents of family fire, in which 
        an improperly stored or misused gun results in injury or death;
Whereas the ASK Campaign was first established with the American Academy of 
        Pediatrics (AAP) in 2000 and is currently administered by the Brady 
        Campaign;
Whereas the president of the AAP has said, ``Keeping children and teens safe 
        from preventable injuries is one of the most important things we do as 
        pediatricians.'';
Whereas, a November 2017 Government Accountability Office report, ``Personal 
        Firearms: Programs that Promote Safe Storage and Research on Their 
        Effectiveness'', identified 16 public or nonprofit programs that promote 
        safe gun storage, including the ASK program, and reported that the ASK 
        program was the only national program to be evaluated and validated as 
        effective;
Whereas June 21, the first day of summer, the season in which kids typically 
        spend more time at a friend's or family member's home, has traditionally 
        been designated as National ASK Day;
Whereas the Brady Center and Campaign, its more than 100 chapters in a majority 
        of States throughout the Nation, and its many local, State, and national 
        partners come together to highlight the ASK Campaign each year in 
        communities across the Nation; and
Whereas June 21 is designated by national organizations, as well as various 
        local and State governments, including State legislatures, as the 20th 
        annual National ASK Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National ASK (Asking Saves 
        Kids) Day to encourage parents to begin asking this life-saving 
        question;
            (2) encourages public health, medical, and other 
        professionals to discuss gun ownership, gun safety, and safe 
        storage in the home with their patients and parents and 
        guardians of minors; and
            (3) supports the goals and ideals of National ASK Day.
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