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Jayapal, Blumenthal, and Murphy Introduce Safe Gun Storage Act to Save Lives

Legislation directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish federal safety standards for firearm locks and firearm safes

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today in introducing urgent legislation to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish federal safety standards for firearm locks and firearm safes. The lifesaving proposal follows Seattle’s lead after the City Council voted in 2018 to approve a safe gun storage law, which went into effect in 2019.

“At a tragic moment in which we lose 40,000 loved ones to gun violence every single year, we must do everything possible to stop this epidemic and save lives,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “As we work to pass universal background checks through the Senate and close deadly loopholes, we must follow Seattle’s lead by finally establishing safety standards for firearm locks and safes. The Safe Gun Storage Act is not only popular, necessary, and common sense legislation but it will also save lives across America.”

“Safe gun storage saves lives. Our bill directs CPSC to institute strong standards for firearm locks and safes, which will help responsible gun owners keep weapons out of the hands of children or people who pose a danger to themselves or others,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Basic safety standards would prevent hundreds of senseless, needless accidental shootings, suicides, and other gun deaths every year.”

“Firearms in homes, especially homes with children, should be safely locked away. It’s common sense,” said Senator Murphy. “Legislation establishing federal safety standards is a simple step to ensure deadly accidents don’t happen.”

An estimated 4.6 million American minors live in a household with a firearm. According to a 2018 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health survey, 54 percent of gun owners report storing their firearms in an unsafe manner. Eighteen percent of all gun injuries in our nation occur because of this high rate of improperly stored firearms in homes.

The Safe Gun Storage Act has been endorsed by organizations across the country including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, March For Our Lives, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Sandy Hook Promise, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“March For Our Lives is happy to support Congresswoman Jayapal’s Safe Gun Storage Act of 2021,” the group said. “It is vital that Congress take actions like this to make sure that guns in homes are secured. It is a common sense measure that will help to decrease the number of accidental shootings in the home, especially involving children.” 

The Safe Gun Storage Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Jahanna Hayes (D-CT), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Mondaire Jones (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-NY). 

It is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Tom Carper (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Patty Murray (D-WA).

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