Today is a historic moment for gun safety reform
JWI applauds the historic moment of unity that has led to the passage of the first gun violence prevention bill in decades.
A 30-year period of inaction is finally over. In an incredible moment of unity, the Senate passed The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (65-35). It is an extraordinary step at tackling the gun violence epidemic in the United States and includes noteworthy measures that will:
· Disarm many abusive dating partners by narrowing the "boyfriend loophole"
· Enhance background checks for gun buyers under 21
· Provide state funding to implement “red flag” laws which enable loved ones to temporarily remove guns from someone in crisis
· Fund community violence intervention programs and mental health services for children, families, and schools
· Fund evidence-based school safety measures including prevention efforts and training
· Reduce gun trafficking by establishing legislation against gun trafficking and straw purchasing
We are grateful to the senators, advocates, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly and courageously to get us to this day.
This bill is proof that change can happen when we do not give up hope and continue to fight for justice. In Judaism, we are taught that to save one life is to save the whole world. This bill is a monumental step in reducing the epidemic of gun violence that plagues our communities and steals innocent lives.
For decades, JWI has been working to address the boyfriend loophole because current federal law prohibits domestic violence perpetrators from possessing firearms – only if they are married, have lived with, or have children with their partner. This law has meant that abusive dating partners could still legally have guns. While this loophole has remained, every 16 hours in the United States, a woman is fatally shot by a former or current intimate partner. Abusers are extremely dangerous when they're armed – to their current and former partners and to the larger communities. In fact, more than two-thirds of mass shooters have killed family members or intimate partners or had a history of domestic violence. By preventing people convicted of dating violence from possessing firearms, the partial closure of this loophole will not only save the lives of countless women in abusive relationships, it will also prevent future mass shootings.
We look forward to the House passing The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act later this day and for the President’s signature. Follow along with us on social media for the results of this vote. We hope this is the first of many times that Congress will take bipartisan action to keep our country safe.
JWI will continue our efforts to curb gun violence, including advocating for full closure of the boyfriend loophole so guns can be kept away from dating partners with restraining orders against them. We recently launched the “Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable” so we can raise the collective voice of key Jewish organizations on gun violence prevention and create lasting change at the federal and state levels.
We will continue to fight towards our vision of a world where all women and girls can live safely – and thrive. We hope you will join us.
Jewish Women International (JWI) is the leading Jewish organization working to empower women and girls by ensuring and protecting their physical safety and economic security, promoting and celebrating inter-generational leadership, inspiring civic participation and community engagement, and engaging men as allies in ending gender-based violence. JWI is a Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence and convenes the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the Clergy Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Community.