[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 65 (Thursday, April 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Warner):
  S. 1155. A bill to reform Federal firearmslaws, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, it is painfully clear that existing Federal 
policies do not provide a comprehensive approach to address the 
national epidemic of gun violence. In fact, in 2019, for the third 
consecutive year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
reported gun violence as a leading cause of premature death in the 
United States resulting in the loss of 39,707 American lives--that is 
109 American lives lost each day. And unfortunately, 2020 was no 
different. Even as the Country was enduring an unprecedented global 
pandemic, communities across the country were left dealing with the 
ever-present threat of gun violence.
  There is single legislative action that can eradicate the complex and 
deeply rooted issues of gun violence. However, we must undertake the 
correct approach by focusing on many issues, including improvements to 
our mental health system, better security protocols, and commonsense 
rules about gun use and safety, such that keep firearms out of the 
hands of dangerous individuals.
  Virginians know all too well the heartbreaking consequences of gun 
violence. We have seen it in the tragedies of Virginia Tech and 
Virginia Beach and the countless drive-by shootings, domestic violence, 
and suicides by firearms. Yet the Commonwealth has chosen to 
acknowledge and address its unfortunate history of gun violence, and 
this past year adopted a series of gun violence prevention measures. 
These measures include legislation to enact an Extreme Risk Protective 
Order; an expansion of background checks on all gun sales; a mandate to 
report lost and stolen firearms; safeguards that prevent children from 
accessing firearms; and a reinstatement of Virginia's successful one-
handgun-a-month policy. The Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 
2021 builds on the newly adopted Virginia framework by creating a 
comprehensive package of policies at the federal level to reduce gun 
violence across the nation.
  With public support for commonsense rules at the highest it has ever 
been, we cannot wait until the next senseless tragedy before enacting 
commonsense gun policies. It is important to remember that gun violence 
is preventable and requires we take an evidence-based approach to 
create a more peaceful society, free of gun violence. I believe that 
the ``Virginia Plan'' will pave the way to advance meaningful gun 
reform and ultimately save lives.
  Now is the time to act.
                                 ______