Evans, Markey introduce legislation to support victims of gun violence

WASHINGTON (April 17, 2025) – U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) have introduced the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act to help all victims of gun violence – from survivors to their loved ones, coworkers, and classmates – identify and access the resources available to them to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs.

The bill would establish a federal interagency advisory council to help victims navigate and use these resources, streamlining what can be a complex process in a nation of gun violence survivors. Every year in America, about 100,000 people survive gun-related injuries. An estimated 10,000,000 people in the U.S. have been shot and injured in their lifetimes. 

Congressman Evans said, “While gun violence is down in Philadelphia and many other communities, it’s still far too common - more than 1,000 people were injured by gunfire just in Philadelphia in 2024.  So the list of victims and survivors who need well-coordinated help continues to grow, and our bill would make a difference for many of them,” Evans said. “I appreciate Senator Markey’s leadership in the Senate on this bill that would help so many victims and survivors across America.”

“For communities across the country, gun violence is an all too familiar tragedy. It is impossible to imagine the trauma that gun violence causes to victims, survivors, and their loved ones,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to join Congressman Evans in introducing the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act, which would establish an advisory council to gather information about programs to aid victims of gun violence and their families. These efforts can help heal the harm that gun violence inflicts on our society.

Evans and then-Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) first introduced the bill in 2019 after reading a Philadelphia Inquirer article about difficulties faced by victims of gun violence, titled “Shot and Forgotten.”

A PDF of the bill (H.R. 2837/S. 1466) is available here. 

The bill has 11 Senate co-sponsors: Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Richard Durbin (both D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 

The bill has 30 House co-sponsors, including Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) – the full list is available here.  

The legislation has been referred to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees for consideration.

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