[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 231 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 231

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 1, 2023

  Mr. Durbin (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Markey, Mr. Welch, Mrs. 
   Feinstein, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
 Casey, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Booker, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
    Reed, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Warnock, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
 Heinrich, and Mr. Padilla) submitted the following resolution; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 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.
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