Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today joined Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin(D-Ill.) in introducing a resolution in the Senate establishing June as “National Gun Violence Awareness Month” and designating June 4, 2021 as “National Gun Violence Awareness Day.”
“The scourge of gun violence continues to claim the lives of innocent people in communities across America, but Republicans in Congress refuse to do anything about it beyond offering ‘thoughts and prayers,’” said Sen. Menendez. “I am proudly supporting this resolution because we must all recommit to honoring victims of gun violence by passing commonsense gun safety legislation that will help reduce gun violence and save lives.”
Last year was one of the deadliest years on record for the United States, with an estimated 19,300 individuals killed in gun homicides or non-suicide-related shootings, a 25 percent increase over 2019. The resolution urges citizens and community leaders to concentrate heightened attention on gun violence during the month of June, when gun violence typically spikes at the start of the summer months, and to work together to make our communities safer. Designating a day to bring attention to the issue of gun violence also honors the thousands of Americans who are victims of gun violence every year.
The resolution was also supported by Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith(D-Minn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02) has introduced a companion resolution in the House.
A copy of today’s resolution is available here.
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