[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 26, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S3510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 242--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF JUNE 
 4, 2021, AS ``NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY'' AND JUNE 2021 AS 
               ``NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
Carper, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Smith, Mr. Casey, Mr. 
Merkley, and Mrs. Murray) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 242

       Whereas, each year in the United States, more than--
       (1) 38,500 individuals are killed and 85,000 individuals 
     are wounded by gunfire;
       (2) 14,000 individuals are killed in homicides involving 
     guns;
       (3) 23,000 individuals die by suicide using a gun; and
       (4) 480 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 2020 was one of the deadliest years on record for 
     the United States, with an estimated 19,300 individuals 
     killed in gun homicides or nonsuicide-related shootings, a 25 
     percent increase over 2019;
       Whereas unintentional shooting deaths by children increased 
     by nearly \1/3\, comparing incidents in March to December of 
     2020 to the same months in 2019;
       Whereas, by 1 count, in 2020 in the United States, there 
     were 610 mass shooting incidents in which at least 4 
     individuals were killed or wounded by gunfire;
       Whereas, every year in the United States, more than 3,000 
     children and teens are killed by gun violence and 15,000 
     children and teens are shot and wounded;
       Whereas approximately 8,800 individuals in the United 
     States under the age of 25 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 4, 2021, to recognize the 24th birthday of 
     Hadiya Pendleton (born June 2, 1997), individuals 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 2021 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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