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Gun Violence Prevention

Here in Connecticut, the horrific murder of twenty school children and six faculty members at Sandy Hook Elementary school is at the forefront of our minds when we discuss the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country. Since that day in 2012, the United States has experienced a rash of mass shooting events and mourned the loss of tens-of-thousands of adults and children to gun violence on our streets.  

Rep. Larson will continue to work with Mothers United Against Violence, Hartford Communities That Care, and other local organizations on the front-line that provide services to our communities in the midst of these tragedies and who work tirelessly to try to prevent them. He was proud to secure $900,000 in direct federal funding for these organizations in 2022 to expand their critical work. Additionally, Rep. Larson secured nearly $2 million in funding for the 2023 Appropriations bills that are currently in progress.   

Rep. Larson believes that we can and we must do more to fight gun violence and save lives across our country. As a champion for gun violence prevention in Congress, he helped lead the charge to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law. This bill: 

  • Supports State Crisis Intervention Centers – This bill creates a $750 million funding pot for states to create and administer red flag laws. 

  • Closes the Boyfriend Loophole – Adds convicted domestic violence abusers who were not married, but in dating relationships to the NICS system. 

  • Expands the Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer – Expands the list of people who must register with the federal government, conduct background checks, and keep appropriate records for gun sales. 

  • Enhances Background Checks for Purchasers Under 21 – Requires an investigative period to review juvenile and mental health records for buyers under 21. 

  • Enhances Penalties for Straw Purchasers and Traffickers – Creates federal offenses for straw purchasing and gun trafficking. 

  • Increases Funding for Mental Health Services – Supports expansion of the community behavioral health center model, improves access to mental health services for children, youth and families using Medicaid and CHIP, increases access to telehealth mental health services, and provides funding for major investments in mental health at the Department of Health and Human Services 

  • Increases Funding for School Safety – Invests in mental health and supportive services in schools, improvements to school-wide learning conditions, and school safety. 

He has also helped spearhead House passage of gun violence prevention measures, including the: 

  • Assault Weapons Ban – Bans military-style assault weapons. 

  • Protecting Our Kids Act – Raises the age to purchase rifles to 21, bans high-capacity magazines, establishes new offenses for gun trafficking and straw purchasing, establishes voluntary best practices for safe firearm storage, regulates the storage of firearms on residential premises to prevent children from accessing weapons, codifies the ATF’s bump stock ban, and codifies the ATF’s ghost gun ban. 

  • Bipartisan Background Checks Act – Establishes universal background checks for firearms transfers. 

  • Enhanced Background Checks Act – Closes the Charleston loophole by extending the period of time the FBI has to conduct a background check for a firearms transfer. 

  • Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act – Creates a federal red-flag system. 

  • Break the Cycle of Violence Act – Establishes federal grants to support violence intervention initiatives. 

Furthermore, Congressman Larson supports: 

  • Ethan’s Law – Rep. DeLauro’s bill requires safe storage of firearms so children cannot access them. 

  • The 3D Printed Gun Safety Act – Bans the publication of digital instructions for 3D printing firearms. 

  • The Disarm Hate Act – Bans individuals who have been convicted of hate crimes or received a sentencing enhancement for hate crimes from purchasing or receiving firearms. 

Congressman Larson has also spearheaded efforts against instant financing for online gun purchases, which often take advantage of low-income customers and have the potential to exacerbate our gun violence epidemic. Recently, he led a letter to Credova, a buy-now-pay-later provider that advertises it services as “Shoot Now, Pay Later,” demanding answers on steps Credova takes to ensure firearms it finances are not used for criminal activity or trafficked. 

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Congressman Larson Team 26

Rep. Larson stands with Team 26 to demand Congressional action on gun violence prevention. 

Rep. Larson is currently a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, chaired by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives.