[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19580]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MR. RON PINCIARO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELIZABETH H. ESTY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 11, 2017

  Ms. ESTY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I, along with my colleagues, 
Congressman John Larson, Congressman Joe Courtney, Congresswoman Rosa 
DeLauro, and Congressman Jim Himes, rise today to honor Ron Pinciaro 
upon his retirement after serving as Executive Director of CT Against 
Gun Violence for 16 years. Ron's leadership has been instrumental in 
advancing common sense policies that save lives and have made 
Connecticut one of the leading states in the fight to stop the tragedy 
of gun violence.
  During his years of leadership, Ron has been a tireless advocate for 
ensuring all people have the right to live free from violence. Thanks 
in no small part to his work, Connecticut is a leader in gun violence 
prevention policy, and our state is recognized as having the second 
strongest gun safety laws. In fact, gun deaths in Connecticut have 
declined by 28 percent since 2010, and leading academic researchers on 
violence have attributed Connecticut's decline in violence to smart 
policies. For instance, Ron's work with the Connecticut General 
Assembly helped ensure the passage of our state's prohibition on those 
under restraining orders for domestic violence from possessing 
firearms, reporting requirement for lost or stolen firearms, and long 
gun permit requirement. The organization has also ensured that policy 
discussions incorporate the problems faced by all Connecticut 
communities, rural, suburban, and urban, because all people have the 
right to live free from violence.
  What's more, under Ron's leadership, CT Against Gun Violence has 
ensured gun violence prevention activists address gun suicides. Guns 
are used in nearly half of suicides in America, and CT Against Gun 
Violence has worked with policy makers to dispel misconceptions, such 
as the claim that there are no policy tools to protect people who 
attempt suicide. The lethality of firearms makes them a uniquely 
dangerous tool in the hands of people who would harm themselves, and CT 
Against Gun Violence has started important conversations about how to 
keep people from harm and save lives.
  Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook School in 2012, Ron grieved with 
and rallied our community to build the strong public support we needed 
to pass tough new laws that expanded background checks for private 
firearms sales, created a permitting system for purchasing ammunition, 
and limited high capacity ammunition magazines. No community should 
face the horror Newtown families did in 2012, and thanks in large part 
to Ron's work with CT Against Gun Violence, our state has the means to 
prevent such future tragedies. Members of our military and veterans are 
at particular risk of gun suicide death, as more than 20 veterans or 
service members die by suicide each day. Ron's efforts are helping 
policy makers find ways to help those who have served us stay safe and 
address their mental health needs.
  Mr. Speaker, Ron Pinciaro has been a dedicated advocate for 
Connecticut communities, law enforcement, and families. He is an 
example to all citizens and public servants who has shown that we can 
affect true change when we take action to improve our state and nation. 
We are fortunate to count Ron as a friend and an ally in the effort to 
address gun violence in our country. Therefore, it is fitting and 
proper that we honor him here today.

                          ____________________