Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement regarding President Joe Biden’s address to the nation on gun violence:

“President Biden said it best. The epidemic of gun violence is turning our communities into battlefields and leaving families broken and devastated. We cannot continue to mourn these tragedies without doing all we can to prevent them. I join President Biden and Americans of every background in calling on my congressional colleagues to take action.

“Next week, the House will consider the Protecting our Kids Act which includes common sense gun safety measures supported by the vast majority of Americans. This critical bill would crack down on illegal gun trafficking, raise the age to purchase semi-automatic weapons, strengthen background checks, and prevent guns from getting into the hands of those who shouldn’t have them. While we can’t prevent every tragedy, these measures will greatly reduce the impact of gun violence on our communities and save lives. I will be voting yes, and I urge my colleagues to set aside party politics and do the same. 

“To be clear, these measures do not target responsible gun owners. This is about common sense measures that will keep our children, families, and communities safe.” 

H.R. 7910, the Protecting Our Kids Act, was marked up by the House Judiciary Committee today and is expected to come to the House Floor for a vote next week.