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Washington, DC — Following Gun Violence Survivors Week and ahead of the anniversary of the Parkland shooting, Congressman Jake Auchincloss, (D, MA-04), became an original co-sponsor of two gun safety measures introduced in the House on February 8, 2022.
Protect Children Through Safe Gun Ownership Act
Introduced by Congressman Andy Levin (D, MI-09), the Protect Children Through Safe Gun Ownership Act seeks to reduce the number of preventable firearm tragedies among children and teens. It promotes responsible gun ownership through parental responsibility, safe gun storage, and education.
Congressman Auchincloss, who served as a Marine officer, supported the bill as “common sense reforms,” and described the strict training and safe storage protocols employed by the Marine Corps when handling guns. Safety precautions such as these have been adopted in Massachusetts and they work, he said.
Under the proposed Protect Children Through Safe Gun Ownership Act, parents would be required to have actual knowledge that a minor whom they permit to use a handgun is being actively supervised by an adult who is present.
For storage, firearms would have to be secured in a gun storage or safety device, and gun owners could be sued if an improperly stored gun results in physical harm.
Educational materials and best practices on keeping guns secure from children would be issued by the Secretary of Education, and grants would be available to school districts for providing parents with educational materials on gun safety.
Along with Rep. Levin and Rep. Auchincloss, the bill has eight other original co-sponsors, all Democrats. The additional original co-sponsors are Karen Bass (CA-37), Andre Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Joe Neguse (CO-02).
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The Protect Children Through Safe Gun Ownership Act is endorsed by Sandy Hook Promise, the nonprofit formed by family members of victims of the tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. A gunman killed six adult staff members and twenty children between 6 to 7 years of age at the school.
It is also endorsed by March For Our Lives, the nonprofit formed to honor, through action, those whose lives were lost or impacted by the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. On February 14, 2018, a former student of Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, entered the school with a gun and killed fourteen students and three educators. Two survivors of the shooting later committed suicide.
In addition to Sandy Hook Promise and March For Our Lives, the bill is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, and National Education Association.
Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act
Rep. Auchincloss and seven other lawmakers - again, all Democrats - became original co-sponsors of H.R. 6646, the Trafficking Reduction and Criminal Enforcement (TRACE) Act, led by Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05). The bill seeks to reduce illegal firearms trafficking and make it harder for criminals to obtain deadly weapons.
The TRACE Act would require background check records to be maintained for at least 180 days, instead of being destroyed within 24 hours. Gun dealers would be obligated to perform inventory checks, that could potentially identify lost and stolen weapons. The TRACE Act would increase the availability of gun trace data to researchers and litigants. It would also require new firearms to have a second, hidden serial number, making it more difficult for criminals to remove serial numbers.
“The TRACE Act is a key step towards preventing gun violence. With this bill, we can close the loopholes that allow guns to get in the wrong hands,” said Rep. Auchincloss.
This legislation is supported by Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, Newtown Action Alliance, Purpose over Pain, and the Violence Policy Center.
"We have a Democratic Congress. We have a Democratic president. It is time for us to abolish the filibuster and send gun safety legislation to the president’s desk so we can protect American children,” Rep. Auchincloss declared.
Thanks to the Office of Congressman Jake Auchincloss for sharing its news with Westwood Minute.
