Bonamici Statement for the Record on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

M. Speaker,

I rise today in support of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, long overdue legislation to address gun violence in our schools and neighborhoods. Although this legislation is far from perfect, it is an important step forward in solving the epidemic of gun violence that has gripped our nation for decades.

In the weeks following the tragedy in Uvalde at Robb Elementary and the racist attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, I spoke with many constituents who continue to urge action. Teachers, parents, and concerned community members from Northwest Oregon shared pleas for Congress to follow through on our responsibility to our children and our nation by immediately passing bold policies to implement gun safety reform. An educator I know told me that after Uvalde, she sat down with her students and told them she would take a bullet for them. Conversations like this are happening in classrooms across the country, but they shouldn't have to. Congress must provide all students with safe learning environments free from the threat of gun violence. The House already passed a comprehensive slate of gun violence prevention legislation, and I look forward to building on that by voting for this legislation that came out of the bipartisan Senate negotiations.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help to protect Americans and make gun sales safer. The most effective way to protect communities from gun violence is to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who are a danger to themselves and others. This legislation will incentivize states to establish extreme risk protection order laws, enhance background checks for people under the age of 21, end straw purchasing, and penalize gun traffickers. It will also safeguard survivors of domestic violence by closing the so-called "boyfriend loophole," prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence crimes from possessing firearms.

Additionally, this bill makes a robust investment in Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Fully funding this important grant program will help to close the opportunity and resource gaps in our nation's public schools, and I'm pleased this bill recognizes the importance of this program in providing students of all backgrounds with a well-rounded, safe, and healthy education

Although these actions to address gun violence in our communities and fund critical school improvement programs are important, I am concerned about how various provisions in the bill could harm Black and brown students and students with disabilities in our nation's schools. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increases funding for school resource officers (SROs) and codifies further involvement of the Department of Homeland Security in education through threat assessments. Research and practice show that both SROs and threat assessments are ineffective in keeping students safe in schools. As Chair of the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee, I remain committed to protecting students' civil rights and delivering on the promise of an equitable, world-class public education for each and every student in this country. I will closely monitor the implementation of this legislation to make sure our most marginalized and vulnerable students are not subject to further disproportionate discipline and discriminatory targeting in schools.

As a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce, I again want to recognize how crucial the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is to our schools, communities, and country. This bill will be the first substantive action on gun violence prevention since the passage of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1994. In the last 30 years, our nation has been devastated over and over again by horrific tragedies like we saw in recent weeks at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. We cannot bring back those who have been murdered, but we can enact meaningful laws that will prevent more senseless deaths.

I urge swift passage of the legislation, and yield back the balance of my time.