Congressman Gonzalez Votes for Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to Keep Our Children Safe

Press Release

Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a commonsense piece of legislation that will protect our children and reduce the threat of gun violence across the nation.

"Time and time again, guns have fallen into the wrong hands and have cost countless innocent lives", said Congressman Gonzalez. "I am proud to vote for this commonsense measure that will keep guns out of dangerous hands, protect our children, and bolster mental health programs. This bill does not punish responsible gun ownership. Unlike 193 of my Republican colleagues, House Democrats voted to keep our communities safer by ensuring domestic abusers don't have access to weapons by closing the boyfriend loophole and expanding access for mental health services. This is the biggest step the Congress has taken on gun legislation in over 30 years, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to protect our communities while preserving our Constitutional rights."

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country.

Some of the specific provisions include:

* Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders:  Creates $750 million for states to create and administer laws that will ensure deadly weapons are kept out of the hands of individuals determined by a court.
* Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence by Closing the Boyfriend Loophole:  Adds convicted domestic violence abusers in dating relationships to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
* Penalties for Straw Purchasing:  Creates federal straw purchasing and gun trafficking criminal offenses, allowing prosecutors to target dangerous illegal gunrunners.
* Clarified Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer:  Cracks down on criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements and clarifies which sellers need to register, conduct background checks, and keep appropriate records.
* Enhanced Background Checks for People Under 21: Requires an investigative period to review juvenile and mental health records, including checks with state databases and local law enforcement, for buyers under 21 years of age, creating an enhanced, longer background check of up to ten days.
* Anti-Violence Community Initiatives:  Provides $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.

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