Connecticut’s Fifth is one of the far too many communities that have felt the devastating impact of gun violence on our most vulnerable. Since coming to Congress, I have championed gun violence prevention – The senseless attacks on schools, churches, movie theaters and public celebrations demonstrate the moral necessity to ensure no other community joins the list of those ravaged by preventable violence

My first resolution in Congress was to prohibit the use of federal funds to arm teachers. As the Deputy Whip on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I was tasked with rallying my colleagues around bipartisan legislation, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, to implement universal background checks for all gun purchases.

I voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the first major gun violence prevention legislation in decades. The bill is a major step forward for gun safety.

The bill:

• Invests $750 million for states to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of individuals determined by a court to be a significant danger to themselves or others.

• Protects Victims of Domestic Violence by Closing the Boyfriend Loophole, which previously omitted convicted domestic violence abusers in dating relationships from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

• Bans Gun Trafficking and cracks down on straw purchases by categorizing federal straw purchasing and trafficking as criminal offenses for the first time, allowing prosecutors to target dangerous illegal gunrunners.

• Enhances background checks for people under 21 by requiring an investigative period up to 10 days to review juvenile and mental health records, including checks with state databases and local law enforcement.

• Provides $250 million in funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives.

• Builds out a national network of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics to provide critical mental health services to communities before crisis hits.

• Invests in programs to expand mental health and supportive services in schools, including: early identification and intervention programs, school-based mental health and wrap-around services, improvements to school-wide learning conditions, and school safety.

 I will continue to support reforms like assault weapon and ghost gun bans, safe storage requirements, and universal background checks.

As the wife of a police officer, I recognize that there are many law-abiding gun owners, and I do not advocate for any removal of the right to legally bear arms.

The fight for these comprehensive reforms will be a long one, but I will continue to advocate for policies that protect our friends, neighbors, and children from gun violence.