100 Days Later, Brady Renews Call for Senate to Pass Expanded Background Checks

10,000 AMERICANS KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE WHILE SENATE WAITS TO ACT ON S. 42

Washington, D.C., June 6, 2019 — 100 days after the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Check Act of 2019 (H.R. 8), the gun violence prevention organization Brady renewed its call for the Senate to take action on the Background Check Expansion Act of 2019 (S. 42). The organization noted that in the 100 days since H.R. 8’s passage, 10,000 people have been shot and killed across the United States.

Brady President Kris Brown stated,

“One hundred days ago, the House of Representatives took action to prevent gun violence. Ever since, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to do the same, choosing gun industry profits over people. It is long past time for Senate leadership to stop dragging their heels on expanded background checks for gun sales, a position supported by an astounding 90 percent of Americans. Last week’s mass shooting in Virginia Beach should have been a wakeup call that we urgently need action. Every single day that passes without action, 100 people in our country are shot and killed. They can’t wait, we can’t wait, and our elected officials can’t wait. It’s time — now — for the Senate to vote on S. 42.”

In the 100 days since the House passed H.R. 8 in a bipartisan vote:*

• 10,000 people have been shot and killed;
• 21,000 people were injured by gunfire;
• 400 children and teenagers (1-17) were killed in shootings;
• 800 children and teens were shot in family fire;
• 6,100 Americans died from suicide with a firearm, with another 1,000 attempting.

Further background on S. 42 and H.R. 8 can be found here.

*Estimates based on an average the five most recent years of complete data from death certificates (2013-17) available via CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System and three most recent years of complete data from emergency department visits (2013, ‘14, and ‘16) available via the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s (HCUP’s) hcupnet.ahrq.govhttps://hcupnet.ahrq.gov/.