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Gun Violence in Philly Must End!

July 2, 2019
E-Newsletter

As the month of June comes to an end, let's remember the hundreds of Philadelphians who've lost their lives to the senseless acts of gun violence that continue to plague our communities.

The surge of gun violence that our neighborhoods have experienced recently is beyond tragic -- it's maddening, sickening, and tiresome.

Just last year, in 2018, the city of Philadelphia had 351 homicides, many of them committed with a gun.

Many residents are afraid to step outside and greet their neighbors, walk to the nearest corner store to buy a bag of chips, stroll through the park with friends, and take their kids to school to receive a quality education.

They, too, want to live in a society where they don't have to worry about getting hit with stray bullets.

They want to enjoy what life has to offer and that means living to see another day, surrounded by their family, friends, and loved ones.

Because of the gun violence that so many of us are sadly accustomed to, common-sense gun reform is one of my top priorities in Congress.

As your representative, I'm hard at work to enact policies that tackle gun violence across our country.

In January, I introduced the Gun Manufacturers Accountability Act, which would repeal provisions of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed in 2005 and championed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). PLCAA makes it extremely hard, almost impossible, for survivors of gun violence and their families to sue irresponsible gun manufacturers.

Last month, I joined my friend and colleague, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to introduce the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act. Our bill would establish an interagency Advisory Council to gather and disseminate information about the resources, programs, and benefits that can help victims of gun violence. Too often these victims don't get the help they need and it's time to change that!

And that's not all -- in the new Democratic House Majority, my colleagues and I passed two common-sense gun reform bills: universal background checks and closing the Charleston loophole that allowed a racist, neo-Nazi shooter to get a gun and murder nine African Americans in a church in 2015.

But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has previously stated these bills will not come to a vote in the Republican-led Senate.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization that advocates for common-sense gun reform, 100 Americans die each and every day from guns.

I believe the Senate Majority Leader and his colleague's actions are denying protections for the overwhelming majority of Americans who want sensible gun reform.

Like you, I'm angered by the inaction because our city doesn't have time to wait -- innocent people are being shot in broad daylight and their families are looking for answers from local, state, and federal government, as to why gun reform has yet to be reality in the United States of America.

As a proud Philadelphian and your Member of Congress, rest assured that I will do everything in my power to bring about policies that will address gun violence in our city and throughout the nation.

My determination and motivation for keeping you, your family, and friends safe from gun violence is stronger than ever!

Sincerely,

Dwight Evans

Member of Congress